Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 15 : Tamil Nadu Minister TRB Rajaa on Thursday urged the central government to start with "understanding" Tamil culture instead of simply giving "ceremonial praise".
His response came hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended Thiruvalluvar Day greetings to the people of Tamil Nadu.
Rajaa, a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a "fundamental issue" of not understanding Tamils and not making the effort to understand what they need or who they are.
"Tamil does not need ceremonial praise. It asks for knowledge and understanding. And Delhi should try to start with that. Happy Pongal to Hon HM and everyone in Delhi and am sure you can see that you can't trust your local unit or your partner's here for info on Tamils and to actually show what Tamils are in their full complex and astounding glory," he responded to Shah on X.
He said that according to the local tradition, Pongal is to be celebrated on 'Thai 1', which is today, whereas Thiruvalluvar day is 'Thai 2', which is supposed to be on Friday.
"When people ask me about the BJP and Tamil Nadu, I often point out that the fundamental issue is that the BJP simply does not understand Tamils and Tamil Nadu and it doesn't even take the effort to understand what we need and what we are ! In Tamil Nadu, Pongal is Thai 1. Thiruvalluvar Day is Thai 2. Our calendar follows the sun and the soil, not fixed English dates," the post read.
The minister further criticised the BJP leaders in the state for not correcting the Union Home Minister, claiming that while he understands that leaders in Delhi have no clue about Tamil festivals, the local leaders here have also become "so engrossed in the divisive agenda".
"No one in the TN leadership has even tried to correct the Honourable Home Minister's Tweet yet," he posted.
He further questioned the BJP's Pongal celebrations in Delhi, which were held yesterday, asking whether it was really to accommodate senior leaders or just a 'miscalculation without application of mind.'
"Now, one also wonders if the Pongal celebrations yesterday in Delhi is also a miscalculation without application of mind and not a date accomodation to enable senior leaders to attend," he said.
Shah had earlier in the morning extended tributes for the Thiruvallauvar Day.
"On Thiruvalluvar day, I offer my solemn tributes to the great sage. Thiruvalluvar Ji's life and works epitomised highest virtues of our civilisation and illuminated the path to pious life and harmonious society. His legacy will continue to guide us on our journey to greatness," he wrote.
Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated annually in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to honour the poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar.