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CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday (August 10) unanimously passed a special resolution moved by Chief Minister Vijay, mandating that Tamil Thai Vazhthu be sung first at functions organised by government departments and educational institutions across the State. Members of all parties supported the resolution, setting aside political differences to back the move.
The resolution was passed through a voice vote after members from the DMK, AIADMK, Congress, PMK, VCK, CPI, BJP and Indian Union Muslim League extended their support. Speaker J C D Prabhakar subsequently announced that the special resolution had been passed unanimously with the support of members from all parties.
The resolution seeks to ensure that Tamil Thai Vazhthu, the State song of Tamil Nadu, is given the first position at government functions and events conducted by educational institutions and other government-related organisations.
Speaking on behalf of the DMK, MLA Govi Chezhian said the party supported the resolution and recalled that former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had issued a government order requiring Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sung at official functions.
He also pointed out that Chief Minister M K Stalin had issued a government order on December 17, 2021, making the singing of Tamil Thai Vazhthu mandatory. He said the practice should be protected through legislation to prevent changes in its status.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami also extended his party's support to the resolution. He said Tamil Thai Vazhthu was not merely a song but a symbol of Tamil culture and stressed that love for Tamil and patriotism were not contradictory.
Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Vijay said Tamil was an integral part of Tamil Nadu's identity and emotions, and that giving Tamil Thai Vazhthu the first position at official functions was a matter of the State's cultural rights. He noted that the song, taken from Manonmaniam by Manonmaniam Sundaranar, had been sung first at government functions since 1970 and was officially recognised as the State song in 2021.
Vijay also referred to the Union Home Ministry's July 1, 2026 communication on State songs and urged members to support the resolution by keeping political differences aside. He stressed that the issue should not become a subject of political debate.