A Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-founded newspaper has criticised Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay over actress Trisha Krishnan's presence at the Independence Day celebrations in Chennai.
The Murasoli, founded by ex-CM M Karunanidhi, on Tuesday questioned Trisha's presence in the front row and her exchange of salutes with Vijay during the event.
“Without any shame or embarrassment, the scene of the actress sitting in the front row and the two of them saluting each other could not be tolerated by those who voted for him,” the article read.
“The person who tries to justify it by making it a matter of honour is the chief minister of Tamil Nadu today.”
The DMK mouthpiece asked whether such an interaction was appropriate at an Independence Day event and said only Vijay's fans would accept an actress being brought to the celebrations.
{{/usCountry}}The DMK mouthpiece asked whether such an interaction was appropriate at an Independence Day event and said only Vijay's fans would accept an actress being brought to the celebrations.
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Trisha's presence draws attention
Trisha's presence at Vijay's official events has drawn attention in recent months. She also attended his swearing-in ceremony in May, where she was seen getting emotional.
Vijay and Trisha's friendship has been the subject of public speculation, particularly amid reports about his marriage.
Vijay's wife, Sangeetha, filed for divorce in February, weeks before the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, citing mental cruelty, emotional neglect, desertion and alleged adultery. She withdrew the plea earlier this month.
DMK questions Vijay's first three months
The newspaper said Vijay had become worried about his political influence and position within just three months of becoming chief minister. It said his Independence Day speech showed that concern. It spoke of his appeal to people to continue supporting his government.
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“We have done it, so don't let anyone walk away thinking that all the duty is over. From now on, you should be with us, with the government. Only then can I implement all the good plans I have for you,” Vijay said, according to the newspaper.
The article questioned why Vijay made such an appeal and claimed that some voters were already regretting their decision to support him. It also accused his government of mishandling a sexual assault case involving a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore.
The newspaper also criticised Vijay over appointments involving people linked to his film career. It mentioned Jananayagan, Vijay's last film, producer Venkata Narayana, Bigil and Code producer Archana Kalpathi, and Leo producer Jagadish Palaniswami.
Questions over ministers, MLAs
The DMK moutpiece also questioned whether Vijay had acted on complaints against ministers and MLAs. It referred to a sexual complaint against an MLA by a Vijay supporter and alleged that the supporter was expelled from the party while the minister received police protection.
The article accused the government of acting against people who criticised it on social media and claimed that courts had repeatedly criticised the administration.
'People are not fools'
The newspaper again criticised Trisha's presence at the Independence Day celebrations, saying only Vijay's fans would accept an actress attending the event and exchanging salutes with the chief minister.
It said posts such as “We voted for you... We regret voting for you” were widely circulating on social media. The article said Vijay's appeal to people to stay with his government showed that he was trying to counter the criticism. “People are not fools. He will still be isolated,” it said.