Indian Consul General in Jaffna says he had no prior information about pinning of controversial flower

The Karthigai flower pinned on him had been adopted by the LTTE as the Tamil National flower The Consulate General of India in Jaffna has in a statement corrected media reports that the Consul General of India in Jaffna Raakesh Natraj Jayabhaskaran had allowed the organizers of a flower show in Sangiliyan park in Nallur on November 20, to pin on him the Kartigaipoo (Karthigai or Niyangala flower) which had been adopted by the LTTE as the Tamil National Flower in 2003. The Consulate General said in a statement dated November 22, that the Consul General had “attended this event upon invitation and such participation can in no way be associated with the organizers or their acts, outside the official program, about which he had no prior information.” . The Tamil National Green Organization (TNGO) had organized a floral show called ‘Karthikai Vaasam,’ where Niyangala flowers or Karthigaipoo were pinned on participants, including the Consul General of India, ahead of the Northern Tree Planting Month. According to the event organizers, the inaugural event was attended by the TNGO’s Leader, Tamil environmentalist and former Province Minister of Agriculture, P. Ayngaranesan, Jaffna Municipal Councilor V. Parthiban, and many more. To mark Tree Planting Month, guests were made to don Niyangala orkarthigaipoo flowers and were given free seedlings. Unfortunately, the Karthigaipoo had been adopted by the LTTE as the Tamil national flower in 2003.  Furthermore the timing of the garden opening function was also controversial. It coincided with some commemorative functions banned by the Sri Lankan government. LTTE supporters and Tamil nationalists commemorate the Heroes Day, Heroes’ Week and LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s birthday from November 21 to 27. But every year, multiple District Courts issue bans on functions to commemorate Maaveerar Vaaram (Hero’s Week) and Maaveerar Naal. Tamil nationalists say that with or without the LTTE, the Karthigaipoo has significance for them historically and culturally. According to TamilNet, poet Arivumathi had associated the flower with the  Tamil God of War, Murugan. The more valiant of the Tamil chieftains, Aai Andiran, wore flower garlands of Karnthai, the traditional Tamil name for Karthigai. [caption id="attachment_13643" align="alignleft" width="382"] The Karthigai flower pinned on him had been adopted by the LTTE as the Tamil National flower[/caption]