In this screengrab from a video posted on Aug. 7, 2026, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay speaks during the state Legislative Assembly session, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously approved CM Vijay's resolution to mandate Tamil Thaai Vazhthu as the first song at government functions and institutions.In this screengrab from a video posted on Aug. 7, 2026, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay speaks during the state Legislative Assembly session, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. (@tamilnaduassembly)In a rare show of unity, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's resolution to mandate the state song, Tamil Thaai Vazhthu, to be played at the beginning of government functions was unanimously approved by the state Assembly on Monday.The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), along with Congress, extended support to a resolution moved by Vijay in the state legislative Assembly, news agency ANI reported.Moving the resolution, Vijay said the State Song must be the top-most priority in the state and added, "Tamil means pride, Tamil means power. The moment you say 'Tamil', the entire Tamil Nadu will come together and stand as one. Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu must hold the first place in Tamil Nadu. Giving first place to Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu is our state right."Tamil Nadu CM seeks support for mandating state songVijay urged the members of the Assembly to extend support to the resolution unanimously, noting that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) will not compromise on protecting the pride of the State Song. He added, "The TVK government will not compromise when it comes to protecting the pride of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu. Saying that Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu should be sung first does not need to become a political debate. Leaving aside party differences, all members must come together and extend their support to this resolution."Under the proposed resolution, the State Song will be sung before the programmes held at educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings across Tamil Nadu commence.The resolution also highlighted that Tamil is one of the oldest classical languages in the world and that Tamil civilisation represents one of the oldest cultural traditions worldwide.The resolution notes that "Tamil Thai Vazhthu", the invocation to Mother Tamil from Manonmaniam Sundaranar's 1891 play "Manonmaniam", was officially introduced through a government order issued on November 23, 1970, which directed that it be sung at the start of government functions.It also stated that "Tamil Thai Vazhthu" was formally accorded the status of State Song on 21 December 2021 and that its mandatory singing before the commencement of programmes in educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings and other public institutions in Tamil Nadu was ordered.The resolution comes amid observations from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a 9 July letter concerning the rendition of the State Song.Vande Mataram mandated at official eventsAccording to Hindustan Times, the MHA issued a fresh advisory directing states and Union Territories to "strictly comply" with the directive issued in January to play "Vande Mataram", the national song, before the National Anthem at official events.(with agency inputs)Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. HomeNewsIndiaTamil Nadu Assembly approves CM Vijay's resolution mandating ‘Tamil Thaai Vazhthu’ at govt functions, institutionsMore
Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay defended his proposal for talks with Karnataka on the Cauvery dispute, saying he was ready to bear insults if it benefited the state. He rejected the DMK's demand for an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu dam issue.CM Vijay on Friday rejected Udhayanidhi Stalin's demand for all-party meeting on proposed Mekedatu damTamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday defended his proposal to hold talks with Karnataka over the Cauvery water dispute, saying he was willing to "bear insults" if dialogue could benefit the people of the state, while ruling out an all-party meeting on the contentious Mekedatu dam project, PTI reported.Responding to Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin during a discussion in the assembly, Vijay said it was his own idea to explore talks with Karnataka in the hope of finding a positive outcome."I thought, what if talks are held with the neighbouring state, as even nations that are sworn enemies hold dialogue to solve issues," the chief minister said.Vijay said he had considered visiting Bengaluru to discuss the Cauvery issue and was "prepared to bear insults" if it helped advance Tamil Nadu's interests.Government's stand remains legal routeDespite advocating dialogue, Vijay said there was no change in his government's official position of pursuing the Cauvery dispute through legal means.Tracing Tamil Nadu's approach to the dispute since 1969, he said the state had moved from attempts at dialogue to relying on legal remedies.Quoting former Congress leader P G Karuthiruman, Vijay said the Cauvery issue had to be handled "very carefully" and stressed that his government would continue to act in accordance with the law.Rejects demand for all-party meetingThe remarks came after Udhayanidhi Stalin demanded that the government convene an all-party meeting over Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery River.Stalin argued that, like Karnataka, all political parties in Tamil Nadu should present a united front against the project and questioned why the government had not convened a meeting despite repeated demands.He also criticised Vijay for postponing his proposed visit to Karnataka.Vijay, however, rejected the demand, saying there was "no need" for an all-party meeting. "Please do not play politics on the Mekedatu dam issue. Our government will not compromise on its rights regarding the river water issue or the Mekedatu dam issue," he said.Exchanges between TVK and oppositionThe issue triggered sharp exchanges between the ruling TVK and the opposition.Leader of the House Sengottaiyan objected to remarks about Vijay's proposed Karnataka visit, urging members to confine the discussion to the Mekedatu project, ANI reported.Meanwhile, minister Aadhav Arjuna criticised the previous DMK government, saying review petitions filed against the Mekedatu project had been dismissed by the Supreme Court. DMK leader K N Nehru countered that the previous government had acted promptly on the issue.PMK MLA Sowmya Anbumani also backed the demand for an all-party meeting and urged the state government to take a united resolution to the Centre.Why the Mekedatu project is contentiousThe Mekedatu balancing reservoir proposed by Karnataka has remained a major flashpoint in the decades-old Cauvery water-sharing dispute.Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the project, arguing that it could reduce downstream water flows and affect irrigation and drinking water supplies in the state.Karnataka, however, maintains that the project is intended to regulate water flow and has argued that Tamil Nadu would also benefit from the reservoir.About the AuthorPrabhakar JhaPrabhakar Jha is a journalist and digital news editor with nearly a decade of experience in online media, specialising in breaking news, politics, national affairs. Having built his career across fast-paced digital newsrooms, he has developed a reputation for delivering accurate, timely, and reader-friendly stories while le
In a first-of-its-kind move, Tamil Nadu's state-run liquor retailer is set to launch an online platform where customers can check live stock, pay online and go to the store to pick up their order, the Economic Times reported.Sources in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) told the outlet that the new portal, Tasmace2e.in, will go live on Thursday, August 6.According to the report, anyone aged 21 and above — the legal drinking age in Tamil Nadu — can use the website to book liquor online.How does online liquor sale work?The new online portal will allow customers to check prices of the liquor, and place orders by paying online. However, there's no home delivery facility. Unlike Odisha and West Bengal, which allow home delivery of liquor, Tamil Nadu is sticking to a self-pickup model for now.The website will be available in both Tamil and English.Customers can place liquor orders through the official portal, choose their preferred outlet, and collect their purchases in person using a QR Code, the report said.Customers can search for outlets within a 5 km to 25 km radius, or simply look one up by shop number or district. Tasmac sources were also quoted as saying, “Someone in Chennai can also order liquor at a shop in Tirunelveli and pay on the website digitally.”The initiative is designed to improve convenience, reduce waiting time, and bring greater transparency to retail liquor sales.Meanwhile, the New Indian Express reported that the new app will let customers to locate their nearest outlet, check which brands are in stock, and see the exact price before they order from home, or anywhere else.A Tasmac official told the TNIE that the app will help consumers avoid long queues at Tasmac outlets. “Once an order is placed, the customer will receive a QR code, which can be shown at the retail outlet to collect the liquor.How TASMAC QR Code WorksOnce payment goes through, the portal generates a QR code instead of a home delivery slip. That code is the ticket to the actual bottle, the Economic Times reported."It will generate a QR code. The same can be shown at the shop to get the liquor bottles strictly for MRP. Anybody, above the age of 21, with the QR code can collect the bottles," said Tasmac sources."Since the price will be displayed in the app and payment made online, there will be no need to pay any amount above the MRP,” the official told TNIE, describing it as the first such app introduced in the state.Sources said the app could be named ‘Tasmac Online Shopping’, but it is yet to be finalised.The launch comes days after TASMAC tightened disciplinary action against its staff who were caught for overcharging. A July 24 circular from managing director K Nandakumar warned employees of suspension, transfer or dismissal for repeat violations.Officials expect the app’s fixed, visible pricing and digital payments will reduce the number of complaints of overcharging.About the AuthorLivemintFor about a decade, Livemint—News Desk has been a credible source for authentic and timely news, and well-researched analysis on national news, business, personal finance, corporates, politics and geopolitics. We bring the latest updates on all the listed companies on BSE and NSE, startups, mutual funds, Union ministries, geopolitics, and untapped human interest stories from around the world, helping our readers to stay informed on the latest developments around the globe. Our Coverage Areas 1. Companies: Comprehensive news and analysis on listed and unlisted companies, corporate announcements, corporate chatter, C-suite, business trends, hiring alerts, layoffs, work-life balance, world's top billionaires and richest and more. 2. Personal finance: Insights into mutual funds, small savings schemes like - PPF, SSY, post office savings scheme, stock to watch, personal loans, credit cards, top bank FDs, real estate, income tax and more. 3. Politics: Comprehensive coverage of general elections, state elections and bypolls, Lok Sabha
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