CHENNAI: Actor Vijay projected his party, TVK, as the “whistleblower” of Tamil Nadu politics, launching a sharp attack on the ruling DMK and drawing parallels between the criticisms he and his party faced with those faced by former CMs K Kamaraj and MG Ramachandran.
Addressing TVK’s second anniversary celebrations at its headquarters, Vijay compared the founding of TVK in 2024 with that of the AIADMK.
Referring to an interview MGR gave in 1977, Vijay said the former CM recalled how he was moved to tears at the thought that “anyone and everyone” could occupy a position held by DMK founder and late CM CN Annadurai. “Those tears, he said, were what led to the birth of the AIADMK — a movement that began to wipe them (DMK) away,” Vijay said. A similar situation arose in recent years, bringing people to tears. “TVK is the movement that was born to wipe away those tears,” Vijay said.
“If Tiruvalluvar were alive now, what kind of Kural would he have written? Injustice, lawlessness, deception - these have become the defining features of DMK. (Aneethi Arajagam Thillumullu Evaiyellam Thi Mu Ka Muthatrey Ulagu),” Vijay said.
He also mocked at the AIADMK, by mentioning the NDA alliance as “BJP and others,” to underscore his criticism that the principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu is playing second fiddle to the saffron party.
Reacting to Vijay’s remarks, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said they have ignored him since he is not on the ground and not taking part in active politics.
Urging AIADMK cadre to ‘expose’ Vijay, former minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan alleged the actor, who had received remuneration for films in “black”, has no locus standi to call the Dravidian parties corrupt. Addressing a party meeting at AIADMK headquarters, Sreenivasan said, “We don’t know where he has kept all that money. That will be taken care of by the Centre. Vijay had failed to pay tax for a luxury car he imported, and was penalised for it. He is calling us corrupt.”