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The Hindu

Step up efforts to declare Thirukkural a national book, says CM Stalin

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday stressed the need to intensify efforts to declare The Thirukkural a national book and to establish a major organisation in Delhi to propagate the ideas of Thiruvalluvar. 'Thiruvalluvar was not only a poet but also a revolutionary, and it is the duty of the Tamils to spread his ideas. While promoting Valluvarism, Tamil society must also oppose attempts to misrepresent him with ideologies that run counter to his teachings,' he said, releasing a commentary on The Thirukkural, Valluvar Marai Vairamuthu Urai, authored by lyricist Vairamuthu. Mr. Stalin alleged that since Aryanism could not claim Thiruvalluvar as its own, there had been attempts to appropriate him by portraying him in saffron. 'Cheating is the appropriate word to describe this appropriation,' he said. He cited several couplets to argue that Thiruvalluvar was a poet of rationalism, social justice, and self-respect. 'Anyone who tries to appropriate him will be scorched by the heat of his ideas. Where the values of The Thirukkural prevail, the Manusmriti has no place,' he added. Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said Mr. Vairamuthu had written the commentary for three types of readers: Tamil scholars, university lecturers, and elected representatives like himself, who love the Tamil language and its literature. He said The Thirukkural is a moral text, but secular in nature. Though Plato and Aristotle authored secular works, Tiruvalluvar lived and wrote in a period much earlier than that of these Greek philosophers. He also conveyed writer Indira Parthasarathy's message to Mr. Vairamuthu, urging him to retain the traditional title 'Kaamathupal' rather than changing it to 'Inbathupal'. Mr. Vairamuthu said a new commentary was necessary because language evolves significantly over a century. 'We lose almost 25 per cent of the words; some become distorted or take on new meanings. 'Kamam' once had a profound meaning, but its connotation has changed.' Former Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu and writer Parveen Sultana were among those who attended the event.