Tamil Nadu minister calls for separate state flag
Public Works and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna suggested the flag should be displayed at every home to reflect Tamil identity.
Tamil Nadu Public Works and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna has called for a separate state flag that would be equal in status to the National Flag, according to reports by The Pioneer and The Hindu.
Speaking at a meeting for Tamil scholars on Sunday, November 1, Arjuna said the flag should be displayed at every home. He suggested that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay should hoist the flag on July 18 and November 1.
Arjuna stated that a law should be enacted for the flag to proclaim the greatness of the Tamil language. He also advocated for a two-language policy, suggesting that children of MLAs, ministers, and IAS or IPS officers should study in the Tamil medium.
BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam responded to the demand on X, stating that Tamil identity does not require a separate symbol to exist alongside the Indian Tricolour. Selvam accused Arjuna of portraying Tamil and Indian identities as competing loyalties.
The Union Home Ministry informed Parliament in 2018 that the Constitution does not allow for a separate state flag. Guidelines also prohibit flying another flag alongside or above the National Flag from the same masthead.
The proposal revives a 1970 request by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, which was never implemented after facing opposition from various leaders.