Tamil Nadu Governor's address Live update: Rajendra Arlekar says two-language policy will continue in the State

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Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar receving boque from Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar at the State Secretariat on Thursday (June 18, 2026) | Photo Credit: Ragu R.

The first session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, after the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led government assumed office and won the trust vote, began with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s address to the House on Thursday (June 18, 2026).

his maiden address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the State government will take steps for fair devolution of funds from the Centre. A report detailing Centre’s “discriminatory approach” over financial devolution to Tamil Nadu will be published, he said.

DMK MLAs, led by LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin, staged a protest and a walk out demanding TVK government and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s attention to law-and-order issues.

The government promises continuous archaeological research into sites such as Keezhadi and Sivakalai. “A comprehensive ‘Sustainable Tourism Policy’ will be framed so as to preserve the State’s natural resources and ecological balance,” Governor Arlekar said.

“This Government will make intensive efforts to implement the river-interlinking project, first to interlink the rivers within Tamil Nadu and further to urge the Union Government to interlink the rivers ofthe southern States,” the Governor said.

Government will undertake all necessary efforts to move education from the Concurrent List to the State List, Governor Arlekar said.

This Government will strongly oppose the National Education Policy, 2020. The TVK Government will also demand the release of ₹3,458 crore funds due to Tamil Nadu under the ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ and urge the Union Government to reconsider its linkage to the implementation of the three-language policy.

The government also promised measures to improve the quality of education.

“To help the farming community, Hon’ble Chief Minister has issued orders forfully waiving crop loans from coop