Chennai: Former deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday strongly condemned Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for the portrayal of Thiruvalluvar in a saffron robe at Lok Bhavan, accusing him of insulting Tamil sentiments. He also questioned the silence of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government on the issue.
Udhayanidhi's Remarks on Thiruvalluvar Day
In a post on X, Udhayanidhi stated, "The state government officially celebrates Thiruvalluvar Day in January, but where does this new claim that Vaikasi Anusham is Thiruvalluvar Day come from? My strong condemnation to those insulting Thiruvalluvar and the Sofa Model government that permits it."
The Governor had paid respect to the portrait of Thiruvalluvar draped in a saffron robe, which was placed at Lok Bhavan to mark Vaikasi Anusham.
Previous Incidents and DMK's Opposition
Udhayanidhi recalled that similar attempts by governors during the previous DMK regime were strongly opposed by the party. He said efforts were once again being made to provoke the self-respect of Tamils. The DMK youth wing secretary contended that portraying Thiruvalluvar in saffron robes amounted to an attempt to alter the traditional image of the revered Tamil poet.
Criticism of TVK Government
Udhayanidhi also criticized the TVK government for not responding strongly to the controversy. Referring to the recent debate over the rendering of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at official functions, he said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay should not hesitate to question actions that, according to him, undermine Tamil identity and the legacy of Thiruvalluvar. He further questioned why the chief minister was reluctant to speak out against what he described as an injustice while remaining silent on law and order issues.
Although such events of portraying Thiruvalluvar with a saffron robe occurred during the tenure of previous Governor R N Ravi, this is the first time such an incident has taken place under Governor Arlekar.
