Congress Leaders Slam Centre Over Censor Delay for Vijay's Film
Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu have strongly criticized the Union government. They accuse it of deliberately delaying the censor certification for actor and TVK president Vijay's upcoming film, 'Jana Nayagan'. The leaders allege clear political interference in the process.
Allegations of Political Targeting
Girish Chodankar, the AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, issued a sharp statement. He said political disagreements are normal in a democracy. However, targeting an artist's creative work is completely unacceptable. He asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu will not tolerate the censorship of cinema for narrow political gains.
"The Union government should not use art and entertainment as pawns in political battles," Chodankar emphasized. He directly challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on social media platform X. "Modi Ji, prove your 56-inch chest claim by taking on politician Vijay and not actor Vijay," he wrote.
Historical Parallels Drawn
AICC functionary Praveen Chakravarty pointed to a similar controversy from 2017. He recalled a post by Rahul Gandhi during the row over Vijay's film 'Mersal'. At that time, Rahul Gandhi had warned Prime Minister Modi against insulting Tamil culture by suppressing cinema. Chakravarty stated that the same troubling pattern is now repeating with 'Jana Nayagan'.
MPs Join the Fray
Several Tamil Nadu MPs from the Congress party also voiced their criticism. Kanyakumari MP Vijay Vasanth, Karur MP Jothimani, and Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore hit out at the Centre. Manickam Tagore made a strong accusation. He claimed that agencies like the ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department have become tools to silence dissent. Now, he alleged, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is being weaponized to control cinema and ideas.
Mixed Reactions from Allies and Opponents
The DMK, a key Congress ally, largely maintained distance from the issue. However, party spokesperson T K S Elangovan broke the silence. He accused the BJP of using the CBFC to pressure actor Vijay. CPM state secretary P Shanmugam, another DMK ally, took a different stance. He questioned Vijay's own silence on the matter. "He is silent to avoid a confrontation with the BJP. What is the point of others making a hue and cry when the person involved is silent?" Shanmugam asked.
Denials from BJP and AIADMK
The BJP and AIADMK firmly denied all charges of political interference. They argued the issue is being unnecessarily politicized. BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan defended the CBFC's actions. She stated the board functions strictly according to the law and established procedures. AIADMK former minister Sellur K Raju echoed this sentiment. He said there is no need to give a political colour to a routine film censorship issue. He also warned against linking it to broader alliance politics.
The controversy continues to simmer, highlighting the tense intersection of cinema, politics, and free expression in Tamil Nadu.
