COIMBATORE: The district administration landed in a controversy on Thursday after copies of Thirukkural featuring Thiruvalluvar in saffron were distributed to students.
A mass book reading programme was organised on Thursday by the district administration as part of the book festival which is underway at the Codissia trade fair complex. Around 5000 students from government and private schools took part in the programme and Thirukkural was distributed to them.
But the image showed saint-composer Thiruvalluvar was painted in saffron. This attracted criticism as the event was organised on behalf of the State government and the official image of the poet shows him in dressed in white. When media persons questioned district collector GS Sameeran on this, he retorted, “Please read the contents of Thirukkural instead of looking at the poet’s dress.”
5K students take part
Around 5000 students from government and private schools took part in the programme and Thirukkural was distributed to them. But the image showed saint-composer Thiruvalluvar was painted in saffron. This attracted criticism