CHENNAI: Tamil Development Minister A Rajmohan on Sunday said that the state will introduce a weekly traditional attire day for government staff. He also announced plans to establish a Tamil Sangam at the secretariat under the leadership of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and hold a World Tamil Conference. Meanwhile, PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna called for a separate flag for Tamil Nadu and demanded that November 1 and July 18, marking the state’s formation and its renaming, respectively, be declared public holidays.
Speaking at the Tamil Nadu Formation Day celebrations in Chennai, Arjuna proposed that CM Vijay hoist the state flag on both days and that it be displayed in every household. He said the two days should be accorded the same importance as Independence Day and Republic Day. November 1 marks the formation of the state, while July 18 marks the day the Assembly passed a resolution to rename Madras State as Tamil Nadu in 1967.
He urged Rajmohan to make Tamil compulsory in all schools in the state, including CBSE institutions, from classes 1 to 8 during the present government’s tenure.
Every child born in TN, including children of ministers, MLAs, IAS and IPS officers, and government employees, should learn Tamil first, he said, adding that the change should begin with those in positions of responsibility. He also called for a legislation to promote Tamil in education, and urged private schools and colleges to make it a compulsory language.
On the occasion, Rajmohan announced that the government will introduce a weekly traditional dress code in all government offices, including the secretariat, encouraging ministers and officials to wear traditional clothes, particularly dhoti and shirt, once a week.
Rajmohan said officials, wearing traditional attire, would support handloom weavers by encouraging people to buy dhotis, shirts and sarees. Outlets such as Khadi Kraft could also benefit from the increased demand, he added.
To mark the occasion, Rs 10 lakh in copyright remuneration was given to each family of five Tamil writers – Jeevabharathi, Raja Gowthaman, Saranga Baskaran alias DMMK Ahmed, Sa Kandasamy, and DM Peer Mohammed – whose works have been nationalised were presented. Ministers N Anand, Minister Vanni Arasu and senior officials attended the function.
Later, responding to a question about Arjuna’s call for a separate flag for the state, Rajmohan said the demand had been raised for a long time, noting that states such as AP and Karnataka have their own flags. Citing examples of states having flags as symbols of cultural identity, he said the CM would examine the proposal, consult subject experts, and take a decision soon.