CHENNAI: Clad in traditional white shirt and dhoti, BJP president JP Nadda took part in the party’s ‘Namma Ooru Pongal’ celebrations at Maduravoyal in Chennai on Thursday. Speaking briefly in Tamil and later shifting to English, Nadda hailed saint Thiruvalluvar and also the Tamil culture. “Saint Thiruvalluvar’s contribution belongs not just to Tamil Nadu, but the whole country.
Tamil is the world’s oldest language, and famous kings of Chera, Chola, Pandiya and Pallava dynasties have contributed to the State’s development,” Nadda said. Noting that all the 63 Nayanmars (Saivite saints) and 12 Alwars (Vaishnavite saints) were from Tamil Nadu, Nadda said, “We are proud of this contribution. Freedom fighters like ‘Tirupur’ Kumaran, Subramanya Bharathi, Velunachiyar, and V O Chidambaram Pillai from the State had contributed valiantly for achieving our country’s freedom.”
Referring to Tamil poet Kaniyan Poongundranar’s lines ‘Yaathum oore, Yavarum kelir’ (every place in the world is our own and everyone is our relative), Nadda said that it was a proud moment for India, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to these lines in the United Nations Assembly. “That is the love and affection which the Prime Minister has for Tamil Nadu. Time and again he speaks about the poets and poems from Tamil Nadu at international forums,” he added.
“The 13th Finance Commission during the UPA government gave Rs 94,000 crore to Tamil Nadu for development. But the 14th Finance Commission under the NDA government gave Rs 5.42 lakh crore for the State. This shows how our Prime Minister cares for the Tamil people,” he said and also listed several fund allocations and schemes provided to Tamil Nadu.
RSS chief in Chennai
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat took part in Pongal celebrations at Navasakthi Kadumbadi Chinnamman Temple at Moolakkadai in Chennai on Thursday. He performed cow pooja and witnessed traditional games by children and ‘uriyadi’ contests. In his speech, Bhagwat referred to Thirukkural verses.