TN Governor RN Ravi's invite sparks row with saffron-clad photo of poet Thiruvalluvar
MDMK leader Vaiko has come out against it and expressed strong disapproval, emphasising that Thiruvalluvar transcends caste and religion
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s invitation for the celebration of ‘Thiruvalluvar Thirunaal Vizha’ has sparked a controversy as it depicts Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar clad in saffron robes.
MDMK leader Vaiko has come out against it and expressed strong disapproval, emphasising that Thiruvalluvar transcends caste and religion. “This is condemnable. Poet-saint Thiruvalluvar is above caste and religion. He (governor) is making Raj Bhavan a laughing stock,” he said.
The governor had recently triggered a controversy by posting on social media a picture depicting Thiruvalluvar in a saffron robe with ashes on his forehead. This was in stark contrast to the poet's picture in white attire shared by Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“It was Valluvar who pioneered the social justice theory of procreating all life - the self-reliance that only effort brings success - the concept of virtue as life. No one can taint Valluvar in Kurallovian Tamil Nadu, which has a 133-foot statue and a Kottam in the capital,” Stalin wrote in a post on X.
In its manifesto for Lok Sabha elections 2024, the BJP promised to establish Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres across the world if elected to power for the third term.
Seeking to connect with the people of Tamil Nadu where the BJP is trying to gain a foothold, the party said in its manifesto, “We will establish Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres across the globe to showcase Bharat's rich culture and offer training in yoga, ayurveda, Bharatiya languages, classical music etc. We will promote Bharat's rich democratic traditions going back millennia as the Mother of Democracy.”
“We will build Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world. The world's oldest Tamil language is our pride. BJP will undertake every effort to enhance the global reputation of the Tamil language,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while releasing the BJP's manifesto.
Thiruvalluvar, commonly known as Valluvar, was an ancient Tamil philosopher known for his wisdom, expressed in 1,330 couplets, on topics ranging from ethics to economics.