Tamil Nadu Elections – Vel sets the ‘narrative’
Chennai. The “Vetri Vel, Veera Vel” (Spear of Victory, Spear of Valor) yatra taken out by BJP state president Murugan during Nov/Dec 2020, ridiculed, claimed as threat to communal harmony all political parties and banned by the TN Govt has come to set the poll narrative in the state.
On the auspicious day of “Thai Kiruthigai”, (January 23) M.K. Stalin, DMK president, during his electioneering visit to Tiruthani, one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga (Karthikeya), was presented a “Vel”, spear, the weapon of Lord Muruga by the party functionaries/workers. The five foot, eight Kg, silver vel was earlier placed at the feet of the deity Muruga in Titruthani temple with special prayers. Of course, to prove he is still an “atheist” Stalin did not visit the temple in Tiruthani, but said he respected others’ sentiments. On the same day Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswamy and Dy. CM O. Panneerselvam were presented “Vel” elsewhere in the state. The present Govt has already declared holiday on Thai Poosam falling on January 28, celebrated by devotees of Lord Murugas all over the world. Already many DMK nominated panelist for debates in TV have started sporting with “Vibhoodhi”, the sacred ash on their foreheads. DMK MP Kanimozhi too was seen sporting “Sindoor”. The party repeatedly claims it is not anti-Hindu. Stalin’s son and DMK’s youth wing leader Udhayanidhi, who earlier refused “Temple Honours” started accepting them and met mutt heads seeking blessings. Rahul Gandhi, for his part, also jumped onto the “band wagon” and praised the Tamils’ contribution to Nationalism and said TN is an inseparable part of the mainstream, during election rallies in the last couple of days. It is only the beginning; coming days may witness stiff competition among the political parties to prove they are second to none in “spiritualism and nationalism”. While these acts are virally “trolled” in social media, other so called “Rationalist” allies and fringe groups, contrary to the past, refrained from commenting/ridiculing this switch in stand. Ruling AIADMK already criticized Stalin’s hypocrisy and said Lord Muruga will never forgive him.
Will the Hindu voters be carried away by these dramas? How will the minority voter view this? Will minorities feel they were betrayed? Will not DMK be back to square one, once the elections are over? Will the election prove that TN is back in the national mainstream?
