Chennai: After uproar from DMK over Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s picture in saffron robe, vice President Venkaiah Naidu deleted the tweet and shared another image of the legendary poet in white robe. The DMK had reiterated that the poet should not be ‘saffronised’.
Replacing the ‘controversial’ picture of Thiruvalluvar in saffron robe and a tilaq on his forehead, Naidu’s Twitter handle said: “Remembering great Tamil Poet, philosopher and Saint, Thiruvalluvar on his Jayanti today. #Thirukkuṛaḷ, authored by him provides guidance to mankind on how to lead a noble life. #Thiruvalluvar #Tamil.”
Remembering great Tamil Poet, philosopher and Saint, Thiruvalluvar on his Jayanti today.#Thirukkuṛaḷ, authored by him provides guidance to mankind on how to lead a noble life. #Thiruvalluvar #Tamil pic.twitter.com/YETwVVcUlr— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) January 16, 2020
DMK MP Dr. Senthilkumar raised the issue and demanded the picture to be removed.
He later thanked Naidu and said, “I thank the Vice President for taking this tweet off. He has understood the matter. Thiruvalluvar is for everyone and his official picture always shows the poet in white robes.”
The DMK said that Thiruvalluvar stood for equality and the poet is ‘anti-saffron’.
DMK’s TKS Elangovan said that Thiruvalluvar was ‘anti-saffron’. “His messages were clear that all people are born equal. He didn’t speak about any God, religion or ways to follow a religion,” Elangovan said.
The ruling AIADMK tried to distance itself from the controversy saying that Thiruvaluvar is ‘beyond caste, religion and creed’. “This has been the AIADMK’s stand and this will not change,” AIADMK minister D Jayakumar said.
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