AIADMK Opposes Any Attempt To Change Tamil New Year Day By The Government
NDTV
MrPanneerselvam urged chief minister M K Stalin to "respect people's opinion," and ensure the birth of Chithirai Tamil month continues as the Tamil New Year day and remove the lines purportedly printed on the Pongal gift bags.
The opposition 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".
The former Chief Minister claimed the DMK government'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 the 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.
