A political controversy has broken out in Tamil Nadu over the depiction of revered Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar in saffron-coloured attire during a government-linked event.

The issue emerged after a programme held at Lok Bhavan, where Governor Rajendra Arlekar paid floral tributes to an image of Thiruvalluvar dressed in saffron robes.

This representation sparked strong objections from several political parties in the state, including the ruling DMK, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and its allies such as the MDMK.

Leaders from these parties argued that Thiruvalluvar, traditionally depicted in simple white attire, symbolises universal values and should not be associated with any specific religious or ideological identity.DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised the governor’s action, suggesting it was a provocation against Tamil self-respect.

TVK representatives also stated that Thiruvalluvar’s teachings in the Thirukkural represent universal ethics and should not be confined to any narrow cultural or political interpretation.MDMK chief Vaiko described the incident as unacceptable and accused authorities of disregarding Tamil sentiments.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defended the saffron representation, stating that saffron is a national symbol representing purity, sacrifice, and cultural heritage rather than belonging to any single religion.The party argued that there should be no restriction on depicting historical and cultural figures in diverse symbolic forms.

This is not the first such controversy, as a similar issue arose in 2024 involving another depiction of Thiruvalluvar in saffron attire, which also led to political backlash.

The latest incident has once again intensified the debate over cultural symbolism, political messaging, and the interpretation of Tamil literary heritage in public representations.