Thiruvalluvar's portrait in CBSE textbook draws flak from Stalin

The opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu onSaturday took strong exception to a depiction of Tamil savantThiruvalluvar in CBSE Class 8 Hindi textbook, in saffronrobes, with holy ash smeared on his forehead and arms.

The saint-poet, who authored Tamil treatise'Thirukkural',is depicted as having a single knotted hair lockat the centre of his head and wearing rudraksha beads aroundhis neck and arms.

''In one of the Class 8 textbooks, Thiruvalluvar hasbeen given an Aryan makeover.The BJP government is allowing itand the AIADMK government is watching this.Tamil Nadu will notaccept the Aryan gimmick in Tamil culture.DMK will not bepatient.Warning!'' DMK president M K Stalin said in hisFacebook post.

The DMK and the left parties had earlier criticised theBJP's Tamil Nadu unit a couple of years back for posting onits twitter handle a picture of Thiruvalluvar in saffron robeswith sacred ash on his forehead.

Usually, the image of Thiruvalluvar is in white robesin State government offices without any religious symbols.

PTI JSP BNBN BN