The city police have registered a FIR against the actor-director on charges of hurting religious beliefs. Chennai: Actor Vijay’s father, S.A. Chandrasekhar is in the soup for his comments hurting religious sentiments during a public function in the city recently.
The city police have registered a FIR against the actor-director on charges of hurting religious beliefs. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by VG Narayanan of Hindu Makkal Munnani — a fringe religious outfit. Police said that Chandrasekhar made a comment during the audio release function of an yet to be released movie wherein he stated that offering money to temple hundial in Tirupati amounts to bribery. The video of his speech, made on December 22 was shared widely in online platforms after which the complaint was filed, police sources said. In his complaint, Narayanan said the director had no business or right to comment on religious beliefs of a community. Virugambakkam Police have registered FIR under section 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). This is not the first time Hindu outfits had taken an opposition to Chandrasekhar. When his son, actor Vijay’s last release Mersal ran into controversy regards to comments about GST and Demonetisation in the movie, state BJP leaders condemned it. BJP National secretary H Raja went a step ahead and shared a picture of the voter ID of actor, which has his name as Joseph Vijay, intending that he is against BJP because he is a Christian. Chandrasekhar appeared in front of TV channels on behalf of his actor son to salvage the situation. The politics of hero worship will further depoliticize the state. Rajinikanth’s decision to enter politics was expected. His announcement that he will contest all the 234 constituencies in the next state assembly elections has made his intentions clear. But more than his own intentions, we can also understand the intentions of those who are behind him.
Rather than asking what Rajinikanth will do when he takes to power, it is important to ask what will happen to Tamil politics because of his entry. India is a parliamentary democracy. What does a democracy do? It makes an individual a citizen. Actors are those who financially gain by fans watching their movies and making them blockbusters. So, what happens when actors become politicians? Citizens become fans. Even in his speech, he said that his fans must start clubs all across the state. His intention, therefore, is to convert the citizens of the state into his fans. Fans are worshippers, they do not ask questions, they bow their heads in front of a leader and obey him. Fans see not a leader, but a Fuhrer in him. They voluntarily surrender before the Fuhrer without any question. The father of our Constitution, BR Ambedkar, once said, “Hero-worship is demoralizing for the devotee and dangerous to the country.” Rajini encourages hero-worship, and he and his ‘Fan club Politics’ are dangerous. It is not only religion which can drive people to hero-worship, cinema too can. Today, cinema theatres have become temples. Film stars have become gods. Rajinikanth’s politics is an expression of this phenomenon. The backdrop of his stage, the symbol he shows with his hands, are from the movie ‘Baba’, which was a flop. That’s what he is bringing to politics, and even he cannot be confident that he will be a hit in politics. Yet, why is he coming to politics? Because he is preparing the ground for communal politics. Even if there is much to criticize about Dravidian politics, it this ideology which has set Tamil Nadu apart from the rest of India. BJP knows that only by destroying Dravidian politics can their communal politics take root in the state. Their defeat in RK Nagar polls has demonstrated their need for Rajinikanth. It is certain that the field he is preparing will be fertile for communal politics. He might say ‘Spiritualism’, but that is just another word for communalism. Even the BJP does not call itself a religious party, they also call themselves spiritual. That is what Rajinikanth is parroting today. The BJP government tried to make the Bhagvat Gita India’s holy book, and today, Rajini started his political speech with a sloka from the Gita. It is very clear. His ‘spirituality’ is Hindu spirituality, there is no place for Christianity or Islam in it. He does not know or talk about the spiritualism in any other religion but Hinduism. He knows that he cannot survive in Tamil Nadu by openly espousing this, which he has learned from the setback of the BJP in the state, that is why he says ‘spiritualism’. But I am sure the Tamil people will understand this, and reject him. As a political party, the VCK does not have any objections to Rajini’s entry into politics. However, the opportunity for Dalit people to free themselves from the illusion of movies has just arrived. Instead of changing Dalits into politically conscious people, his entry will cause great damage. MGR was often portrayed as the protector of the poor on screen. What we should not forget is that in his rule, ultimately it was not the oppressed people who gained political power. Rajinikanth is viewing politics like a film project. Just like “we should release the movie and make money”, he is now saying “let’s go to war and emerge victorious”. Our leaders did not just enter politics to win. The service of the people is the priority and electoral victories and losses always take second place. But there is no mention of serving the people in Rajini’s speech. This is why I consider Rajini’s entry into politics will end up endangering Dalits. Rajinikanth is not a man for change, he is for status quo. He has no idea of social change, he only talking about political party system. He has no social or economic thinking. I believe that Rajinikanth’s politics must be aggressively countered and its success prevented. Views expressed are those of the author and not of Itz Chennai. D Ravikumar is the General Secretary of VCK, a writer and an anti-caste activist. Rajinikanth is seated on a sofa, while the now-famous 'Baba' hand symbol is framed behind him. day after actor Rajinikanth announced his entry into politics, he took to Twitter to announce the launch of a website that will register members from his registered and unregistered fan clubs as well as those willing to join his party. Although he is yet to announce name for the party and its organisational structure, he had said in his speech that the priority would be to register unregistered fan clubs. In a video address that opens with the words “Honesty, Hard Work and Progress”, Rajinikanth makes the announcement. After thanking all those who welcomed his entry into politics, he says, “In order to bring about good governance in Tamil Nadu, I have started a rajinimandram.org page for registered fan clubs, unregistered fan clubs and the people of Tamil Nadu. There you can register your name and voter ID number and become a member. Let's bring about a good change in governance in Tamil Nadu. Long live the people of Tamil Nadu. Growth to Tamil Nadu.” Rajinikanth is seated on a sofa, while the now-famous 'Baba' hand symbol is framed behind him. In his speech on December 31, Rajinikanth had said that his first priority would be to register all the unregistered fan clubs. “I have several thousand fan clubs, in village and cities all across the state. The unregistered ones are twice as many. We need to get the unregistered clubs registered, and unite them all together. This is an important task, and our first task,” he said.
While the website is called Rajini Mandram, it is uncertain if this would be the name of his party. Shortly thereafter, in a press release signed by him, the All India Rajinikanth Fans Association also announced the launch of an Android app for registering the same details. The statement too had the Baba movie symbol. It is estimated that there are around 50,000 unregistered fan clubs for Rajinikanth, large and small, function throughout the state. His official fan association had stopped registering members way back in 1996-1997. "This is a joke, Tamil Nadu requires something serious." Following actor Rajinikanth’s decision to take the political plunge, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has lashed out at the superstar, calling him illiterate and a ‘media hype’.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Swamy said, “He has only announced that he is entering politics. He had no details or documents. He is illiterate. It is only media hype. The people of Tamil Nadu are intelligent.” He further added that he will ‘expose’ Rajini. Speaking to reporters, he said, “Rajini is an uneducated man. What will he tell us? This is a just an age-old story of another Tamil actor joining politics. I will always oppose Rajnikanth.” "This is a joke, Tamil Nadu requires something serious. The mood in Tamil Nadu is to get rid of all the film stars in politics. Rajini is entering politics at the wrong time and place. He should be worried, in fact, that all his black money trail will come into the limelight. The people of Tamil Nadu will not fall into Rajini fan clubs' song and dance. Fans club cannot become a political outfit," added Swamy. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu BJP welcomed Rajinikanth’s decision to start a political party. State president of the party Tamilisai Soundararajan praised him for his aim to eradicate corruption in Tamil Nadu through his political entry. On Sunday, dressed in a white kurta and pants, Rajinikanth walked into the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai’s T Nagar to an audience of excited fans and TV cameras that were ready to finally capture the moment. As Rajini walked on stage, the fans cheered for their ‘Thalaivar’, who had announced an announcement less than a week ago. And minutes later, the question that Tamil Nadu has been asking for decades was answered in six simple words: "My entry into politics is certain." To a roaring audience, Rajinikanth said, "I will form my own political party and contest from all 234 seats in the next assembly election." He further added, "About Lok Sabha polls, I will decide then. I am not here for money or fame, you have already given that to me a thousand times over. I am not enamored by position or post.
Superstar Rajinikanth has been hinting towards his inclination to join politics and bring about a change in the current scenario in the state of Tamil Nadu. Thalaivaa met his fans over a few days just recently and while all wanted to know about his decision, he asked them to wait till December 31st. While opinion is divided about how Rajinikanth’s appeal will help him enter, stay and grow in politics, fans are sure that their megastar is what their state needs.
And now, just a day ahead of Rajinikanth’s big announcement tomorrow, filmmaker Raghava Lawrence has released a song Porukku Vaa Thalaivaa which is a tribute to the megastar and welcomes him into the world of politics. Lawrence released and posted the song today on his social media today and it has been going viral since then. Check out his tweet about the song and watch the song yourself to celebrate the greatness that Rajinikanth is.
Will he join an already existing party or float his own or will be postpone the plan for a few more months or years, all this and more about Rajinikanth’s political plans will be revealed tomorrow. On the work front in films, Thalaivaa has 2.0 and Kaala waiting to release in the next year. There were reports that Thala wanted all the promotional activities regarding his two films to be done with before he invests himself fully into politics. If joining politics will mean giving up working in films, we are sure this will come as a big blow to his fans. We are sure most Rajni fans are spending nail-biting moments as they wait for tomorrow. Let’s see what’s in store for us.
South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association said scores of fishermen who set out to the sea to fish, still remained untraced. Chennai: Expressing support to the cyclone Ockhi-affected fishermen of Kanyakumari district, the fishermen associations have appealed to their men who are “solid traditional vote bank” in the R. K. Nagar Assembly constituency to vote against the AIADMK candidate in the December 21 by-poll.
Raising several issues confronting the fishers including hundreds of deep sea fishermen who perished at sea when Ockhi lashed the Kanyakumari coast on Nov. 30, the South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association said scores of fishermen who set out to the sea to fish, still remained untraced. “Over 500 fishermen are missing and those responsible for this situation and for the loss of lives at sea, should be taught a befitting lesson in this by-poll,” the association leaders said. “The fishermen's votes, which account for about 55,000 spread across 20 villages in R. K. Nagar are the deciding factor that could tilt the scales in favour of a particular party. In the past we have voted for the AIADMK, but now owing the problems faced by our families due to cyclone Ockhi we have decided to appeal our people to ponder and vote against the AIADMK,” says South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association president K Bharathi. The year saw cinema veterans Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan hinting at entering public life. Chennai: 2017 was politically tumultuous for Tamil Nadu keeping the ruling AIADMK busy in putting its house in order as it faced storm after storm post-Jayalalithaa and the year also saw cinema veterans Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan hinting at entering public life.
'Resort politics' came to dominate the headlines even as a new dispensation under Chief Minister K Palanisamy took over following a rebellion by his predecessor O Panneerselvam against V K Sasikala in February. In winds of change, TTV Dhinakaran, who was initially appointed AIADMK deputy chief by his aunt Sasikala, was now struggling to stay afloat with dwindling legislators' support and the challenge of a unified AIADMK. Sensing the vacuum, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan dropped adequate hints of a political plunge, keeping alive a tradition of cinema stars graduating to politics. Former chief ministers -- the late C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa -- besides other actors like S S Rajendran, Sarath Kumar and D Napolean have forayed into politics for successful careers. According to Rajinikant, the "system is rotten" as he asked his fans to "prepare for a war". Haasan, in particular, went ballistic against the ruling AIADMK on corruption, throwing regular barbs against the government, with the ministers criticising him. A self-declared rationalist, he courted controversy when he hit out at what he called Hindu extremism. Ailing DMK chief M Karunanidhi, now in his 90s, too is not a novice to Tamil Nadu filmdom, having been a successful script-writer. The demise of Jayalalithaa in December last year found its echo during the entire 2017, with the state government constituting a one-man commission to inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to her hospitalisation in September 22 and death on December 5, 2016. The internal churning in the ruling AIADMK dominated the headlines, starting in February. What seemed to have been a smooth ascension to power for Sasikala came a cropper with Panneerselvam throwing a spanner in the works. Having elected the AIADMK chief last December, the decks were cleared for elevation of Jayalalithaa's close confidante as chief minister, when Sasikala was elected AIADMK's Legislature Party leader on February 5. However, the then chief minister Panneerselvam had misgivings. Jayalalithaa's 'Man Friday' and now deputy chief minister Panneerselvam made a sensational claim two days later that he was forced to make way for Sasikala's elevation. He sat on meditation at the memorial of Jayalalithaa in Marina beach, sowing the first seeds of a revolt against Sasikala. Panneerselvam's rebellion virtually set the cat among the pigeons, as an otherwise tight knit and disciplined AIADMK saw the first split in its ranks, decades after the death of its founder, MGR, in 1987. The party was then divided between Jayalalithaa and V N Janaki, MGR's widow, before the former united it and brought it under the 'two leaves' symbol. With an imminent trust vote staring at her party, Sasikala lodged her MLAs at a resort at nearby Koovathur for days together in February, earning the label 'resort politics'. Sasikala herself made repeated trips to keep the morale of her legislators high. In the meantime, she also met then governor Ch Vidysagar Rao and staked claim to form the government. However, the Supreme Court, which had reserved judgement in the Rs 66.66 crore disproportionate assets cases in which Jayalalithaa was the main accused, convicted Sasikala, dashing her hopes of leading the state. The apex court awarded her a four-year jail term, which she is currently serving in Bengaluru. As a parting shot, Sasikala brought back her relatives Dhinakaran and S Venkatesh into AIADMK, making Dhinakaran her deputy and in-charge of affairs. The two were among Sasikala's relatives who were expelled by Jayalalithaa in 2011. Then Sasikala loyalist Palanisamy was elected Legislature Party leader, becoming the second chief minister of the state in less than two months after Panneerselvam, who took over following the demise of Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Meanwhile, the two camps led by Panneerselvam and the chief minister continued to face-off, even as the ruling faction fielded Dhinakaran in the April 12 bypoll to RK Nagar, earlier held by Jayalalithaa, which was later cancelled. The Election Commission rescinded the poll following complaints of money power. However, things soon took an unexpected turn when Palanisamy revolted against Dhinakaran, with a section of the state cabinet announcing sidelining the former MP. Panneerselvam and Palanisamy merged their respective factions after many rounds of talks in August, a move that further agitated the Dhinakaran camp. The very next day, 19 MLAs supporting the beleaguered leader revolted against the chief minister, later prompting their disqualification as legislators by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal. One MLA later switched over to the ruling camp. The patch-up between Panneerselvam and Palanisamy saw the former becoming deputy chief minister in the government. Later, a general council of the unified AIADMK sacked Sasikala as interim general secretary and annulled all appointments made by her, effectively targeting Dhinakaran. The camp got a shot in its arm when the Election Commission awarded the 'two leaves' symbol to it. Now, Dhinakaran is fighting the December 21 bypoll to RK Nagar as an independent. DMK makes final push for RK Nagar constituency. CHENNAI: Already touted as the frontrunner in byelection to Dr RK Nagar assembly constituency even in the midst of heavy bribing of voters by rival parties, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Friday made a final and firm push by wheeling in its chief M Karunanidhi to Anna Arivalayam — the party headquarters. The ailing DMK chief had not stepped out of his Gopalapuram residence since October 2016 except for his hospital visits and a brief trip to the office of Murasoli — the DMK mouthpiece that he launched when he was just a teenager to propagate views of the Dravidian movement.
Karunanidhi's sudden visit to Anna Arivalayam — his favourite place where he used to spend majority of his time a day —has not just infused cheer among the DMK cadre but has also sent out a message to the R K Nagar electorate that all was well with him. DMK working president and Karunanidhi's son M. K. Stalin, his daughter Selvi and senior leader Durai Murugan accompanied the 93-year-old leader. The former chief minister's vehicle, which is customized to accommodate his wheelchair, arrived at the Anna Arivalayam on the arterial Anna Salai at around 9 pm on Friday, instantly sending cadre and general public in the area into rapturous smile. DMK cadres emphatically shouted slogans and affectionately called him "Thalaivar." After spending 15 minutes at Anna Arivalayam, Karunanidhi left in his vehicle. Political analysts view the visit of Karunanidhi, a hardcore political animal, to the DMK headquarters as a masterstroke by the Opposition party six days before electorate in RK Nagar exercise their democratic right. Winning RK Nagar is crucial for the DMK since this is the first election Tamil Nadu faces after the demise of charismatic J. Jayalalithaa and the party has managed to rally the entire opposition behind it for the crucial electoral battle. Anna Arivalayam has been Karunanidhi's third home for the past five decades as he used to drive there early in the morning to read newspapers. Old-timers recall that their leader would spend almost 15 to 16 hours in Arivalayam when he is out of power meeting cadre and party leaders. Poll officials on Friday started installing ballot papers in electronic voting machines. CHENNAI: Poll officials on Friday started installing ballot papers in electronic voting machines to be used for RK Nagar by-poll scheduled on December 21. The final set of paramilitary force for RK Nagar also arrived with their senior officers to RK Nagar. According to sources, the central observers from the election commission of India monitored the installation process at the government training college in Tondiarpet and discussed the logistics of storing the EVM machines. They also took stock of the central paramilitary force deployed for RK Nagar. To ensure trouble-free polls, 11 companies including both CISF and CRPF personnel are deployed. Almost all the polling booths will have a two-tier security system in place.
The randomised machines with symbols will be stored in a strong room till Tuesday. They will be dispatched to the polling stations on Wednesday along with indelible ink and voters roll, sources said. Meanwhile, the election commission of India has deployed central observer V. Batra to take care of the overall polling process related to RK Nagar. Batra has already been the central observer during the rescinded April by-poll. Another expenditure observer Manvendra Goyal is also to join the election commission making the total number of observers to an all-time high in the history of by-polls. Under systematic voter education and electoral participation (SVEEP) programme, the poll officials also put up awareness stickers insisting the voters to come forward and vote. Stickers were also pasted on drinking water cans and LPG cylinders that were taken care of consumers. On Friday, 17 more police FIRs were also filed and as on Friday, the total number of cash seizures stood at Rs 6.34 lakh. BSP candidate's plea rejected The Madras High Court today dismissed as not maintainable a plea for disqualifying candidates of AIADMK and DMK and Independent TTV Dhinakaran in the RK Nagar Assembly by-poll for their alleged electoral malpractices during the earlier cancelled by-election.
A bench comprising justices TS Sivagnanam and K Ravichandrabaabu dismissed the plea by BSP candidate for the by-poll AC Sathyamurthy. He sought disqualification of the three candidates on the grounds of their alleged involvement in electoral malpractices during the April by-election, which was cancelled by the Election Commission. During the previous election, various articles, including sarees meant for distribution among voters, valued at over Rs 1.59 crore were seized by EC officials, he submitted. Over 40 cases were registered and 82 persons involved in such malpractices were arrested, the petitioner said. Besides this, various incriminating materials were seized in the raids conducted by the Income Tax department at the residence of health minister C Vijayabaskar and Samathuva Makkal Katchi founder R Sarathkumar, he claimed. Based on the complaint made by Income Tax department, the EC had on April 9 cancelled the by-election.The petitioner claimed that Madhusudhanan, Ganesh and Dhinakaran were also allegedly involved in such offences and wanted the EC to prohibit them from contesting the by-election scheduled on December 21. |
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