Wrote to Hon'ble @CMOKerala Thiru @vijayanpinarayi requesting to continue the practice of declaring local holiday on January 14th (Thai-1) for...

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin sent a formal letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, requesting the Kerala state government to continue its established practice of declaring a regional public holiday on January 14 for the Pongal festival across six border districts. The request concerned districts with large Tamil-speaking populations, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Palakkad, and Wayanad, where families celebrate the traditional harvest festival with deep devotion.

Stalin pointed out that Pongal, marking the first day of the Tamil month of Thai, represents the foremost cultural celebration for Tamils worldwide. He noted that thousands of Tamil agricultural laborers, plantation workers, traders, and government employees reside and work in Kerala's neighboring districts, maintaining close familial, linguistic, and cultural ties across state borders. A designated local holiday allows these working families to celebrate the auspicious harvest festival in their traditional ancestral manner without disruption.

The Chief Minister emphasized that respecting regional cultural celebrations strengthens fraternal bonds, cooperative federalism, and linguistic harmony between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Stalin thanked Vijayan for his continuous cooperation on interstate issues, expressing optimism that Kerala will promptly concede this meaningful request.