A woman in Namakkal district reported threats from DMK members after participating in a Pongal festival kolam competition. The incident occurred in Tiruchengode on Thursday.
TVK Announces Festive Kolam Competition
The Tamilaga Vettrik Kazhagam organized a special kolam contest called 'Vetri Pongal Festival'. They invited people to create rangoli designs at their doorsteps. Participants needed to include specific phrases in their artwork.
Competition Guidelines and Prizes
The TVK listed acceptable slogans for the kolams. These included "This is TVK Pongal", "Pongalo Pongal Vetri Pongal", and "Happy TVK Pongal". The organization promised rewards for the best designs.
They also announced an additional surprise prize. Anyone who took a selfie with their completed kolam and submitted it would qualify. The prize distribution was scheduled for January 25th and 26th.
Women Participate Through Social Media
Local women learned about the competition through WhatsApp messages and social media posts. Many decided to join the festive activity. They drew beautiful kolam patterns outside their homes.
Several participants wrote "This is TVK Pongal" in their designs. Some women mentioned that TVK supporters often display elephant symbol pictures in their houses. A few participants even incorporated actor Vijay's image alongside the TVK slogan.
Threats Over Political Kolam Design
Jayalakshmi created a kolam featuring the TVK flag for the competition. DMK members noticed her artwork and approached her. They questioned why she included the political symbol in her festive design.
"They forced me to destroy the kolam," Jayalakshmi stated. The DMK members allegedly threatened her when she hesitated. They warned her about consequences if she refused to remove the design.
No Formal Police Complaint Filed
Despite the intimidation, Jayalakshmi did not file any police report about the incident. The confrontation remained unresolved through official channels. The woman continues to feel unsettled by the threatening behavior she experienced.
The Pongal festival celebration took an unpleasant turn for this participant. What began as festive creativity became a source of political tension in the community.
