CHENNAI: DMK’s mouthpiece Murasoli on Tuesday attacked Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over the Independence Day ceremony, making the presence of an actor in the front row and the two exchanging salutes as the centre of its criticism.
Questioning the optics of the Independence Day event, the editorial said, “Without shame or hesitation, an actor was made to sit in the front row, and the sight of the two of them taking turns to salute each other could not even be tolerated by those who voted for him.”
The editorial alleged that the episode reflected the government’s failure of governance, and accused the CM of trying to justify the “ugliness and disgust” through spectacle. It asked whether voters would accept higher electricity bills because Vijay “dances well” or increased property taxes because he “smiles beautifully”.
The editorial also took a dig at Vijay’s I-Day speech.
Stating that the appeal was evidence that Vijay was already worried about his political standing only months into office, Murasoli questioned why the CM was making such an emotional appeal and claimed that videos expressing regret over voting for him were circulating widely on social media.
Meanwhile, BJP state spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy criticised the Murasoli article, stating that the party’s criticism reflected its alleged prejudice against actors in politics.
He also referred to former CM Jayalalithaa, an actor-turned-politician, alleging that the DMK’s “fear and hatred” stemming from its defeats against her continued to reflect in Murasoli.
Thirupathy said the TVK government could be criticised over law and order, crimes, drug circulation, alcohol consumption and economic management, but attacking an individual’s personal life was “disgusting and shameful.”
