Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, State Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Saturday presented the interim budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 in the state assembly.
The greeting drew attention because, traditionally, the Tamil New Year is observed in mid-April during the Tamil month of Chithirai, not in January during Thai Pongal. In 2008, the DMK government led by the late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi officially declared Thai 1 (Pongal day) as the
"Rahul Gandhi's track record is such that when he goes to Bihar, he tries to spread frenzy in the name of caste, and when he goes to Tamil Nadu, he engages in negative politics in the name of Tamil identity," Guru Prakash said.
Murugan said," The nation is celebrating the Pongal festival. We are very honoured that our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, came here and celebrated the Pongal with the Delhi Tamil people... He himself did the rituals of the Pongal Pooja... "
The Prime Minister addressed an event on Pongal festivities at Union Minister L. Murugan's residence in the national capital and asserted that such festivals strengthen the sentiment of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat".
In a post on X, the Congress leader wrote, "The I&B Ministry's attempt to block 'Jana Nayagan' is an attack on Tamil culture. Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people."
"Nine years earlier, Rahul Gandhi had warned PM Modi not to insult Tamil culture & pride by suppressing Tamil cinema. But Narendra Modi insults Tamil people again by witholding censor certificate for Jana Nayagan on purpose & blocking its release," Chakravarty posted on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gladness on the release of a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II (Suvaran Maran) by the Vice President CP Radhakrishnan.