"He is above caste and religion...": MDMK leader Vaiko condemns Saffronisation of Thiruvalluvar
May 24, 2024
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 24 : In the midst of the heated debate surrounding the event invitation extended by the Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, which depicted Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar wearing saffron robes, MDMK leader Vaiko expressed strong disapproval emphasizing that Thiruvalluvar transcends caste and religion.
"This is condemnable. Poet-saint Thiruvalluvar is above caste and religion. He (Governor) is making Raj Bhavan a laughing stock," Vaiko said.
The saffronization of the ancient poet-philosopher has triggered a fresh controversy among political leaders.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi recently stirred controversy by posting a picture on social media depicting Thiruvalluvar dressed in a saffron robe with ashes on his forehead.
Whereas, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin posted a picture of the poet in white attire and shared an image of the Valluvar statue at Kanniyakumari. 
"It was Valluvar who pioneered the social justice theory of procreating all life - the self-reliance that only effort brings success - the concept of virtue as life. No one can taint Valluvar in Kurallovian Tamil Nadu, which has a 133-foot statue and a Kottam in the capital," Stalin wrote in a post on X.
Meanwhile, The Bhartiya Janata party, in its manifesto for Lok Sabha 2024 elections, released on April 14 promised to establish Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres across the world if elected to power for the third term.
Seeking to connect with the people of Tamil Nadu where the BJP is trying to gain a foothold, the party, in its manifesto said, "We will establish Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres across the globe to showcase Bharat's rich culture and offer training in yoga, ayurveda, Bharatiya languages, classical music etc. We will promote Bharat's rich democratic traditions going back millennia as the Mother of Democracy."
"We will build Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world. The world's oldest Tamil language is our pride. BJP will undertake every effort to enhance the global reputation of the Tamil language," PM Modi said while releasing the BJP's manifesto.
Thiruvalluvar, commonly known as Valluvar, was an ancient Tamil philosopher known for his wisdom, expressed in 1,330 couplets, on topics ranging from ethics to economics.
