The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) mouthpiece Murasoli on Tuesday published an editorial hitting out at Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay over his exchanging greetings with popular actress Trisha Krishnan at the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Fort Saint George.
Vijay was spotted exchanging salutes with Trisha, who was a front-row attendee at the event. Without naming Krishnan, the editorial slammed the exchange as a display of “vulgarity”. “This is a sight even those who voted for him could not stomach. The person who has become the chief minister is one who thinks he can justify vulgarity and repulsiveness by blatantly parading them,” it said.
The editorial also targeted the chief minister’s address at the event. Regarding an appeal reportedly made by the chief minister to his voters to stand by the government, it said: “What is the reason for this pleading and crying? Those who trusted him and voted for him are now regretting it...”
The editorial also echoed persistent criticism levelled at Vijay by the DMK, especially regarding his decisions to appoint people from the film industry to administrative roles. The party alleged that Vijay was crowning the producers who worked on his movies. “Venkata Narayana, who produced Jana Nayagan, is apparently the Tamil Nadu government’s special representative in Delhi. Archana Kalpathi, who produced Bigil and GOAT, is apparently going to select trustees for temples. Jagadish Palanisamy, who produced Leo, is the chief minister’s personal secretary,” it said.
{{/usCountry}}The editorial also echoed persistent criticism levelled at Vijay by the DMK, especially regarding his decisions to appoint people from the film industry to administrative roles. The party alleged that Vijay was crowning the producers who worked on his movies. “Venkata Narayana, who produced Jana Nayagan, is apparently the Tamil Nadu government’s special representative in Delhi. Archana Kalpathi, who produced Bigil and GOAT, is apparently going to select trustees for temples. Jagadish Palanisamy, who produced Leo, is the chief minister’s personal secretary,” it said.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Trisha Krishnan sits with Vijay's parents as she attends Independence Day event in Chennai. Watch
Regarding the state’s law and order situation, the editorial alleged that cases of sexual assault or drug trade were daily occurrences under the current government and referred to the recent lynching of a 19-year-old engineering student in Coimbatore, a day after the DMK staged a walkout of the assembly after LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin raised a special motion to discuss the case. “...Minister Rajmohan stated in the Assembly that the death was caused by a group rivalry. The chief minister, who holds the police portfolio, did not open his mouth on the matter,” it said.
Neither Vijay nor the rest of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam’s (TVK) key leadership responded to the piece till the time of going to print.
The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, however, slammed the DMK over the remarks in the editorial.
“Can’t an actress be seated in the front row? Is that disgusting and disgraceful? Is being an actress that despicable? The fear and hatred caused by the DMK’s crushing defeats at the hands of (former CM) J Jayalalithaa, also an actress, has still not left Murasoli,” BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said in a party statement.