Tamil Nadu State Flag plan triggers political row: BJP Questions Minister Aadhav Arjuna’s proposal
A proposal to introduce a separate flag for Tamil Nadu has sparked a political debate after Minister Aadhav Arjuna announced that the state would soon have its own flag.
Arjuna pointed out that several Indian states have flags of their own and said Tamil Nadu would also introduce a symbol representing its identity.
The announcement drew criticism from the BJP, which questioned whether the move could create divisions between regional and national identities.
BJP leader Vinoj P. Selvam argued that pride in Tamil culture should not be presented as being at odds with Indian identity.
He said people could celebrate their linguistic and cultural heritage while remaining equally proud of the national flag.
Selvam also urged the government to focus on issues that directly affect the lives of Tamil people, including employment, education, research and opportunities for entrepreneurs.
He questioned whether the government’s emphasis on promoting Tamil in temples would be extended to churches and mosques as well.
The minister’s remarks also reignited discussion over Tamil Nadu’s language policy. Arjuna defended the state’s two-language approach and called for Tamil to receive greater emphasis from the school level.
He cited countries such as China, Japan and France, where native languages play a central role in education and public life. According to the minister, Tamil should be compulsory rather than treated as an optional subject.