Stalin govt mulls declaring 'Pongal' as Tamil New Year day

Chennai, Dec 1 (IANS) The DMK government is planning to make the first day of the Tamil month, 'Thai' as the Tamil New Year day. First day of 'Thai' is 'Pongal' and the state government, according to sources, is contemplating announcing 'Pongal' as the first day of Tamil New Year.

Pongal falls on January 14. If the announcement is made, then the state will go back to an order of 2008 wherein the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, late M. Karunanidhi, who is the father of the present Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, announced 'Pongal' as the Tamil New Year day. He had announced in the state Assembly then that the Tamil scholars were in full agreement to make 'Pongal' or the first day of the Tamil month of 'Thai' as the Tamil New Year day.

'Kalaignar' Karunanidhi had in 2008 also moved a legislation in the state Assembly announcing 'Pongal' as the Tamil New Year day.

However, after the AIADMK under J. Jayalalithaa came to power in 2011, she introduced a Bill in the state Assembly that the first day of the Tamil month 'Chithirai' was celebrated as the Tamil New Year day and that there was no need to change it to the first day of 'Thai'. She moved the legislation in the state Assembly and nullified the changes made by the previous government.

However, ten years after the DMK government assumed office, it is being seriously discussed that the Stalin government would revert to the stand taken by the Karunanidhi government in 2008.

Speculations on this gained currency after the bags, that were meant to distribute gift hampers, were printed with the message of the Chief Minister stating, 'Iniya Thamiz Puthaandu, Pongal Nallavazhthukal' (Tamil New Year, Pongal Greetings). This has gone viral and the Civil Service department officials when contacted by IANS were tight-lipped on the same.