Chennai: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his address in Dharapuram rally Tuesday, he did it by saying ‘Vetri Vel, Veera Vel’.
And, he was not the only one to hail the weapon of Lord Muruga ahead of the Tamilnadu Assembly elections.
Almost all top leaders, including Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, DMK president M K Stalin, BJP national president J P Nadda, BJP State president L Murugan and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan have had held or hailed Vel in the recent past.
Interestingly, Stalin and Thirumavalavan are known for their ‘atheist’ stand and comments against Hinduism in the past. So, what made them praise Vel? “The reason is simple – election,” says Subramaniam, a political analyst.
After BJP started Vel Yatra following an abusive video by Karuppar Koottam on Kandha Sashti Kavasam, other parties are not ready to take it light especially with elections ahead, he says and adds: Hence, Vel has become a political tool this time.
Recently, Edappadi Palaniswami said that ‘God made’ Stalin hold the ‘Vel’. The Chief Minister was referring to a viral photo of the DMK chief, an atheist, holding a ‘Vel’ at a makkal grama sabha meeting at Tiruttani in January of this year.
At the time, the AIADMK and BJP had termed Stalin’s actions as an attempt to alter DMK’s rationalist image.
At a recent campaign meeting, EPS said Stalin did not believe in God and even insulted God several times.
“When Stalin went to the Srirangam temple in Tiruchirappalli, he wiped off the holy prasad (offerings) from his forehead,” Palaniswami said.
He went on to say that when Stalin went to the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Memorial, he threw the holy ash given to him.
“DMK leader insulted gods. But now, he had to hold the Vel. This is Palanimalai Murugan’s power.”
Taunting the DMK chief, Palaniswami said, “So you have held the Vel. The person who spreads slanderous thoughts, the man who said that there is no God was made to hold the Vel by God. Everyone believes in God. Do not insult that belief.”
A DMK functionary said, “We always respect the sentiments of others. Vel was given to Stalin by a party functionary at the meeting. It was a token of love.”