It may be surprising to find the verses of modern poet Piramil – “A feather from the wings writes the life of a bird in the unending pages of air” – in a State Budget. But Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu recited the verses to underscore the importance of conservation of nature and the environment while presenting his first Budget on Monday.
In fact, the Budget was loaded with literary and historical references and quotes of scholars, drawing the attention of the DMK government’s allies and critics alike. BJP legislator Vanathi Srinivasan, though critical of the Budget, appreciated the beauty of the language and quotes used by Mr. Thennarasu to pep up his speech.
Mr. Thennarasu began his speech with the Tirukkural couplet – “Where king is easy of access, where no harsh word repels, that land’s high praises every subject swell” – and wound it up with the Purananuru poem that a king should take care of his subjects like a mother who cares for her children.
