Change of Tamil new year: Karunanidhi denies publicity-seeking motives

Joining issue with his archrival and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, DMK president M Karunanidhi on Saturday denied that he had adjusted Tamil New Year to the month of "Thai" with publicity-seeking motives and accused political vendetta behind AIADMK government reversing his decision.

Quoting extensively from Tamil literature, he said that the birth of Thai had always marked the Tamil New Year.

Hitting out at Jayalalithaa for saying he enacted a law in this regard to ensure publicity, Karunanidhi asked if she had reversed his government's decision with a similar motive.

"It is nothing but political vendetta. It is the usual attempt to put an end to our initiatives," he said writing in the party mouthpiece Murasoli.

Responding to her remarks at a government function in Chennai on Friday that who asked for a change in the Tamil calendar, Karunanidhi shot back saying who had asked Jayalalithaa to reverse his decision.

Soon after coming to power last year, Jayalalithaa had reversed the previous DMK government's decision to celebrate Tamil New Year on the first day of 'Thai' in January instead of 'Chithirai' in April.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had acknowledged his role in ensuring classical status for Tamil and alleged Jayalalithaa could not stand him receiving such credits, Karunanidhi said.