CHENNAI: The DMK government has put an end to speculations over changing Tamil New Year to January 14 from April 14. The chief minister’s greeting message, printed on a bag of Pongal gift hampers, has no mention of ‘Tamil New Year’. Avoiding the word ‘Pongal’ too, the greeting message conveys wishes with the Tamil phrase ‘Thamizhar Thirunal Vazhthukkal’ (Tamil holy day wishes), a statement widely used by a section of Tamil scholars. The distribution of gift bags is set to commence on Tuesday.
A month ago, soon after the government revealed its plans to provide Pongal gifts containing 20 grocery items to 2.1 crore family cardholders, an image of a gift bag bearing a message from Chief Minister MK Stalin wishing people on the occasion of Tamil New Year and Pongal was circulated on social media. This sparked a debate in political circles on whether the DMK government plans to change Tamil New Year to the beginning of the Tamil month of Thai (January 14), which falls on the traditional harvest festival Pongal.
While the AIADMK and BJP opposed the move vociferously, the PMK and a few other parties backed the idea of making January 14 Tamil New Year. Although the DMK leaders didn’t deny the speculations, officials from the Co-operation, Food and Consumer Protection department claimed the image was not an authorised picture.
In 2008, the DMK government headed by the then CM Karunanidhi changed Tamil New Year to January 14 from April 14 through the Tamil Nadu New Year (Declaration) Bill, 2008. In 2011, the AIADMK government reverted to observing Tamil New Year on April 14.
The usage of ‘Thamizhar Thirunal Vazhthukkal’ in a Pongal greeting message is an indication that the DMK has not fully given up its ideological position on observing Tamil New Year on the first day of Thai, opined some Tamil scholars.