Chennai, Jun 18: The first session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after TVK chief and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay assumed office commenced on Thursday with a subtle but significant procedural shift.
With political circles closely watching whether Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar would revive controversies seen during the tenure of his predecessor, RN Ravi, walking out over the order of ceremonial proceedings, the Assembly adhered to Tamil Nadu’s long-standing tradition of beginning with the state anthem ‘Thamizh Thai Vazhthu‘.
However, in a departure from convention, the national anthem was sung immediately afterwards. Traditionally, it is rendered only at the conclusion of the governor’s address.
The governor’s address, which outlined the policy roadmap of the new TVK government, announced that Tamil Nadu would press the Union Government to complete caste enumeration as part of the national census and subsequently undertake a social justice survey in the state. The speech said true social justice required adequate representation for every community and committed the government to carrying forward the promise after the completion of the national caste census.
A major theme of the address was centre-state relations. The government announced that a resolution would be adopted in the Assembly demanding Tamil Nadu’s rightful share in financial devolution from the union government. It also proposed constituting a special committee of legal experts to pursue the issue up to the Supreme Court if necessary and publishing a report documenting what it described as discriminatory financial treatment towards Tamil Nadu.
The speech repeatedly portrayed Vijay’s electoral victory as a transformative political moment. It described the mandate as a historic people’s verdict achieved despite the influence of money and power and reiterated the government’s commitment to transparent governance, social justice and welfare-orientated administration.
Reaffirming Tamil Nadu’s linguistic position, the government said the state would continue to follow the two-language policy adopted under former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai in 1968.
The address also launched a sharp attack on the National Education Policy. The government said it would strongly oppose NEP 2020 and criticised the union government’s decision to withhold Rs 3,458 crore due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha programme unless the state adopted the three-language policy.
The government said it would continue pressing the Centre to release the funds without imposing policy conditions.
Further, the speech reiterated the government’s demand that education be shifted from the Concurrent List to the State List, arguing that issues such as NEET, NEP and language policy stemmed from the Centre’s growing role in education.
A substantial portion of the address focused on the state’s finances. Referring to the recently released White Paper, the government said Tamil Nadu’s debt had nearly doubled over the last five years to touch Rs 10 lakh crore, equivalent to 28.3 per cent of GSDP, leaving every resident with a debt burden of more than Rs one lakh.
Despite the fiscal stress, the government asserted that it remained committed to fulfilling its electoral promises while restoring financial discipline. The speech highlighted measures to curb corruption and revenue leakages, including the recently imposed additional privilege fee on liquor manufacturers, expected to generate up to Rs 1,000 crore annually.
The government also promised a crackdown on illegal mining and tax evasion, saying revenue from minerals would be doubled through stricter regulation and enforcement.
On inter-state issues, the government reiterated its opposition to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu project and pledged to take all necessary legal measures to prevent its implementation while ensuring the timely release of Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water.
The address outlined an ambitious economic vision, with the government aiming to transform Tamil Nadu into a 1.5-trillion-dollar economy by 2036 through industrial expansion, a new industrial policy and faster approvals for investments.
It also set a target of making Tamil Nadu India’s model state for urban excellence by 2031 through improved drinking water supply, modern infrastructure, digital governance and sustainable urban development.
The governor’s address sets the tone for the TVK government’s first full legislative session, signalling an administration that intends to combine social justice, welfare commitments and economic growth with an assertive stance on state rights, education policy and fiscal federalism.
