‘Changes in Tamil New Year Day unacceptable’

Chennai: The AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Thursday opposed any attempt to change the Tamil New Year from ‘Chithirai’ (in April) to ‘Thai’ (January), coinciding with the Pongal festival, saying it went against people’s belief. AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam described such moves as “imposition of opinion”.

Panneerselvam claimed that DMK’s Pongal gift bag, that would carry condiments among others to make the sweet dish, carried greetings for both Pongal and the Tamil New Year. He recalled the earlier DMK government, under late M Karunanidhi, had in 2008 changed the Tamil calendar to celebrate the New Year from Chithrai to Thai, and dubbed the legislation for that purpose as “an imposed” one.

“People then said that the law amounted to snatching away their rights and questioned its need as it was contrary to the long held practice regarding celebrating the festival,” he said in a party statement. -(PTI)