Stalin sends letter; Kerala govt changes Pongal holiday date

The Kerala government on Thursday declared January 14 as Pongal holiday in 6 districts, where there is considerable Tamil population, switching the date from January 15.

The one-day local holiday was announced in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Palakkad and Wayanad districts.

A government order issued in this regard said though January 15 was mentioned as 'pongal' holiday in this year's calendar, it is changed from Saturday to Friday.

It also said the change was made considering the request of the Tamil Protection Council and also in accordance with the holidays of the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre.

However, January 15 would be a working day in these districts in its place.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also sent a letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan urging him to continue the practice of declaring January 14 as a local holiday for the Pongal festival for Tamils living in that state.

Stalin requested that a local holiday be declared for Pongal in six districts of the neighbouring State where Tamil speaking people live in large numbers.

''I am given to understand that during the last 12 years the Kerala government has been declaring January 14 as local holiday for the Pongal festival, which is also the first day of the auspicious Tamil month 'Thai.' But this year, January 15 is proposed to be declared a holiday in these six districts,'' the Chief Minister said in a letter addressed to his counterpart.

He also sought Vijayan to continue the practice of declaring January 14, as the local holiday for Pongal festival as it is being celebrated on that particular date all over the world amongst the Tamil communities.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)