Thiruvalluvar in Saffron again,Guv’s Post Draws Criticism

Governor RN Ravi once again sparked off a controversy on Tuesday, observed as Thiruvalluvar Day, by describing the ancient Tamil poet as “the brightest saint of Bhartiya Sanatan tradition” and offering floral tributes to a portrait in which Thiruvalluvar is seen in saffron robes.

Within hours, Chief Minister MK Stalin made a veiled attack on the governor by posting an image of the saint in white robes and saying, “No one can blemish Thiruvalluvar.”

While many, including DMK supporters, opposed the ‘saffronisation’ of Thiruvalluvar, others, including BJP supporters, backed the governor.

Just after the governor’s post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), a few BJP leaders, including state president K Annamalai, tweeted the same portrait.

Four years ago, a similar post by BJP-affiliated Hindu organisations had spurred a controversy in the state.

On Tuesday, the governor shared a video on X of him in Ramanathapuram offering floral tributes to a portrait of Thiruvalluvar, in which the poet is depicted wearing saffron robes with holy ash and kumkum smeared on his forehead.

“On Thiruvalluvar Day, I pay my humble tributes to the revered poet, great philosopher, and brightest saint of Bharatiya Sanatan tradition, Thiruvalluvar born on the spiritual land of our Tamil Nadu. His eternal wisdom has immensely shaped and enriched the ideas and identity of our nation and remains a source of guidance and inspiration for the whole of humanity,” the governor wrote.

Later, the CM, without mentioning the governor’s name, posted on X, “No one can blemish Thiruvalluvar in Tamil Nadu where his 133-foot statue and a memorial have been installed.