Tamil woman can rule America: DMK chief MK Stalin pens letter in Tamil to Kamala Harris

Chennai: Even as Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have received congratulatory messages from world leaders, DMK President MK Stalin too has congratulated Kamala Harris but in a different way. He tweeted out a congratulatory letter- said to be hand-written by himself- in Tamil. At a time when Indians are divided over Harris’ ‘Indianness’ and Indian connection, Stalin has made an attempt to stir up Tamil sentiment ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls.

“It is a matter of pride for all Tamils that, a person with roots in Tamil Nadu is the first woman to be elected Vice President of the United States”, the letter reads. 

Making a mention of the Dravidian movement, Stalin goes on to mention that their political ideology, initiatives were aimed at ensuring that women equal men in all walks of life, adding that Harris’ victory brings joy to such a movement. 

“Your vision and hard work have proven that a Tamil woman is capable of ruling America” reads Stalin’s letter.

அமெரிக்காவின் துணை அதிபராகப் பொறுப்பேற்கவிருக்கும் #KamalaHarris தமிழ்நாட்டின் மன்னார்குடி - துளசேந்திரபுரத்தை தாய்வழி பூர்வீகமாகக் கொண்டவர்!@KamalaHarris அவர்களின் தமிழகத் தொடர்பினை நினைவூட்டும் வகையில் நம் தாய்மொழியாம் தமிழில் வாழ்த்து மடல் எழுதி அனுப்பியிருக்கிறேன்! pic.twitter.com/mP7ZHfcQ3Y

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) November 9, 2020

The DMK leader also wished that America would see more fame come its way under Harris’ administration, adding that it would take Tamil pride to the global level. 

Stalin claims that he has written the letter in Tamil to bring more joy to Kamala Harris, as he considered “Nature’s boon”, mother-tongue Tamil as a connection between himself and her. 

In recent months it has become well-established that Kamala Harris’ grandfather hailed from Thulasenthirapuram-Painangadu village in Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. The villagers there had also celebrated on Sunday, after having known that a descendant of someone who belonged to their village had made it to the top-most post a woman had occupied in the United States.

It is worthy of recalling that while speaking at the Democratic National Convention, Harris had used the Tamil word "Chithi" (which means aunt) to refer to both her maternal aunts, while speaking of her family.