Polls in mind, Rahul, Nadda mark Pongal in Tamil Nadu

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, January 14

Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the Congress and BJP today faced off on Pongal as top leaders of both parties visited the state and accused each other of hypocrisy.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, fresh from his visit abroad, landed in Madurai to attend the bull taming Jallikattu event and accused the BJP government of destroying Tamil language and culture.

BJP chief JP Nadda was in Chennai for a Pongal celebration and hailed the “classical Tamil language”, besides invoking Adi Shankaracharya to salute the Tami culture.

Congress’ ally DMK has been targeting the BJP over the language issue with Gandhi today warding off criticism over backing Jallikattu, which the government led by Congress had helped ban in 2011.

“I was happy to see that the Jallikattu event was held in a manner that was safe for the bulls. I have come here because I think the Tamil culture, language and history are essential for the future of India and need to be respected by everyone. The government is under the impression that they can destroy the cultures of this country and suppress the emotions of the Tamil people, crush their language and suppress the spirit of the Tamilians. I came to give them a message that no one can suppress the Tamil spirit, and those who think they can run roughshod and can push aside Tamil language and culture are mistaken,” said Gandhi, who was accompanied by DMK chief MK Stalin’s son Udaynidhi Stalin.

Gandhi shared traditional Pongal meals with women at Madurai prompting BJP social media chief Amit Malviya to tweet, “Rahul Gandhi in Tamil Nadu is sounding like a tourist who is visiting India and landed up in the state to experience Tamil culture and watch Jallikattu.”