Tamil Nadu, Sunday 9 January 2011: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi requested the Kerala government to declare local holiday in its border districts for Pongal festival.

In a letter, Karunanidhi asked his Kerala counterpart V.S. Achuthanandan to declare a local holiday in Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, Idduki, Pathanamthitta and Wayanad districts so that Tamils living there can celebrate the festival falling this month.

‘As you may be aware, the Tamil Nadu government is declaring local holiday every year for Onam festival for Chennai, the Nilgiris, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts of Tamil Nadu for benefit of Malayalam-speaking people living in these districts,’ the letter notes.

Referring to the request made by to the Kerala State Tamil Protection Council, Palakkad, Karunanidhi said he would be grateful if Achuthanandan favourably considers the council’s request to declare holiday for Pongal.

(News agency)