Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vows to Combat Corruption in First Speech

C Joseph Vijay delivered his first Independence Day speech as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, vowing to protect the state against adverse influences. He stated, 'We all have cast our votes. You have elected your brother, your son, and made me the Chief Minister. From now on, all of you must continue to stand with our government.' This emphasis on unity aims to strengthen support for his administration's initiatives.

Vijay declared a firm stance against any forces and conspiracies that threaten the state government. He underscored the necessity of collaboration with the Union government from an administrative perspective, while maintaining ideological opposition to its policies. 'It is our duty to protect Tamil Nadu from bribery and corruption. That is what our government is working towards,' he remarked.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed his commitment to establishing a transparent administration, indicating a zero-tolerance approach to corruption. He expressed that public life demands integrity, signifying his administration's intentions to uphold ethical governance.

In his address, Vijay assured the continuation of successful schemes initiated by previous administrations. Key programmes named included Amma Unavagam, established by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, and the Breakfast scheme for school children, initiated by former Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Additionally, he announced the introduction of a gold ring gift scheme for newborns, set to launch on September 15, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. Other notable announcements included an increase in assistance for disabled ex-servicemen from ₹5,000 to ₹7,000 and a rise in monthly support for freedom fighters to ₹23,000.

Vijay's commitments highlight his government's focus on integrity and welfare schemes as part of their political agenda in Tamil Nadu.