News Tamil Nadu

NTK Chief Seeman Buttresses Dravidian Propaganda On Ilaiyaraaja

December 17, 2024
The Commune

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman, who had previously clashed with actor-turned-politician Vijay over comments made during Vijay’s debut speech for his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), where Vijay seemingly merged Dravidianism with Tamil nationalism—a point Seeman disagreed with—has now fully aligned himself with the DMK and its Dravidian ideology over the fabricated reports of music maestro Ilaiyaraaja not allowed inside the garba gruha of the Srivilliputtur Andal temple.

Despite Ilaiyaraja clarifying that he was neither disrespected nor obstructed from entering the temple, Seeman took a Dravidianist approach, turning the issue into a public debate.

Ön 17 December 2024, NTK chief Seeman via his X official account stated, “The Srivilliputtur Jeeyar, who insulted the Lord of Music, Andal’s son, Mr. Ilaiyaraja, should publicly apologize! It is strongly condemned that Mr. Ilaiyaraja, who went to worship at the Andal temple in Srivilliputtur, was expelled from the hall in front of the sanctum and insulted. The act of the Srivilliputtur Jeeyar disrespecting Mr. Ilaiyaraja, who went to honor our Tamil community ancestor, the Andal Perumati, is a heinous act that humiliates the self-respect of the entire Tamil people.”

“Ethnic Tamils will never accept or allow this. No one has the right to stop the worship of Ilaiyaraja, the son of Andal, who is revered by Tamils for his unparalleled music. Andal, believed to have lived in the seventh century, is an ancestor of the Tamils. The Thiruppa she sang and the Nachiyar Thirumozhi are in Tamil. No one has the right to prevent Tamils from reciting in Tamil at his place of worship or from worshipping as Tamils,” he added, instigating anger and drawing others into the row.

“Just as former President Ram Nath Kovind was not allowed near the sanctum sanctorum of the Puri Jagannath Temple in Odisha, the fact that the great musician Mr. Ilaiyaraja was not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Srivilliputtur Temple is an unacceptable and cruel tradition. Apart from the connection between Mr. Ilaiyaraja and the great Tamil king Konerimai Kondan Kulasekara Pandiyan, who built the Andal temple, what is the connection between the Jeeyars who claim that Mr. Ilaiyaraja should not enter the sanctum sanctorum and the Andal temple? Even in this century of scientific development, the doctrine of Varna, which promotes discrimination based on birth, is a vile ideology that goes against humanity. The ancestors of the Tamil people have fought against this on this land. Our ancestors, Vallalar, Vaikunthar, and Sivavakkiyar, who led religious revolutions, opposed Varna and advocated for equality along with spirituality. Such injustices occurring in such a land are a great shame for the entire community,” he further asserted.

“Under the rule of the DMK, which claims to promote equality, social justice, and equal rights, inequality and ongoing atrocities are taking place in the temples controlled by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. It is shameful that Chief Minister Stalin, who boasts about Periyar leading the Temple entry protest in Vaikom a hundred years ago, cannot even enter the hall near the sanctum sanctorum of Mr. Ilaiyaraja during his own rule. The DMK, which shamelessly supported the Srivilliputtur Jeeyar, who committed atrocities against Mr. Vairamuthu for writing an article about Andal, whose side will it take today? Will it stand with Mr. Ilaiyaraja? Or will it stand with the Srivilliputtur Jeeyar?” he added, taking a jibe at the DMK.

“If the DMK leader, who seeks redress by worshipping the feet of the jeeyars, does not feel any moral outrage against the disrespect meted out to Mr. Ilaiyaraja, is there any other disgrace like it? It is a great shame for the Tamil Nadu government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to say that Mr. Ilaiyaraja was expelled from the Andal Temple according to tradition and custom. Who created such tradition and custom? What is the difference between the BJP saying it is an Agama rule and the DMK saying it is a tradition and custom? Agama rule, tradition, and custom are all a conspiracy to expel Tamils. The Andal Temple belongs to all Tamils, and those who are asking Mr. Ilaiyaraja to leave have nothing to do with the Andal Temple. The Lord himself would not want to prevent Mr. Ilaiyaraja, who lives as music, from entering the sanctum sanctorum,” he further said.

“Therefore, the entire Tamil people are of the opinion that Srivilliputtur Jeeyar, who made the great Tamil artistic icon and lord of music Mr. Ilaiyaraja, who won the love and respect of the Tamil people, leave the hall near the sanctum, should openly apologize. Therefore, Srivilliputtur Jeeyar and others who insulted Mr. Ilaiyaraja should express their regret.”

What Actually Happened?

Contrary to NTK chief Seeman, who completely buttressed the DMK’s narrative and urged the Srivilliputtur Jeeyar to apologize, on 16 December itself, the renowned musician and Rajya Sabha member Ilaiyaraaja dismissed the allegations that he was removed from the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple. He called the claims false and a violation of his self-respect. His statement came in response to rumors that he had been removed from the temple’s Artha Mandapam.

Addressing the allegations over his recent temple visit, Ilaiyaraaja remarked, “Certain individuals are circulating false rumours about me. I do not compromise on self-respect at any time or place, and I never will. They have spread fabricated stories as though they occurred. Fans and the public should not believe these rumors.”

Right from the beginning of the day, the Dravidian media and Dravidianists on social media were relentlessly amplifying news involving music Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, sparking widespread discussion. Critics alleged that this is a typical strategy employed by the DMK to deflect significant criticism to other important issues and hoodwink the public. It turned out that the rumours were fabricated and allegedly intended to divert public attention away from issues that reflect poorly on the ruling DMK’s administration.

Let’s examine how the Dravidianist media peddled lies in the name of reporting “news.”

Sun News

The worst propaganda was peddled by the ‘Sun News’, owned by the DMK first family, which took its storytelling to another level by shamelessly promoting a narrative to paint Hindus, especially Brahmins and the seers, in a negative light. This extreme step represented the height of propaganda, aligning with the Dravidian ideology to ridicule Hindu customs and paint caste discrimination. They repeatedly claimed that Ilaiyaraaja was asked to leave the temple garba gruha (sanctum sanctorum) when he hadn’t even entered it.

Puthiya Thalaimurai News

Puthiya Thalaimurai also followed the lead of the “parent” Dravidianist media and claimed that Ilaiyaraja was “denied” entry into the garbagruha. Despite the video showing that the maestro had not even stepped in, they had already started building the narrative that when he “entered”, he was asked to leave!

News 18 Tamil Nadu

News 18 Tamil Nadu went one step further and claimed that he was not only denied entry into the garbagruha but also the Artha Mandapam!

News7

News7 kept it very simple and straightforward and peddled the same anti-Hindu and anti-Brahmin propaganda that he was denied entry – it did not mention where exactly. So, if people who were not aware of the news could possibly assume that he was denied entry into the temple itself!

The harsh reality of the pressure, even on opposing ideological politicians, to join the Dravidianists’ relentless spread of falsehoods about Ilaiyaraaja’s visit to the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple highlights a deliberate attempt to distract from real issues and shift attention away from the shortcomings of the ruling DMK. This has become the unfortunate fate of Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. Since the issue, the Dravidianist media outlets like Sun News, Puthiya Thalaimurai, News 18 Tamil Nadu, and News7 have not only misrepresented the truth but have also furthered an agenda of division, painting Hindu customs and Brahmins in a negative light.

This manipulation is a glaring example of how the media can be weaponized to serve political interests rather than report truthfully. Ilaiyaraaja’s dignified response in defending his honour and self-respect is a sharp rebuttal to the baseless accusations spread by these outlets, exposing their intentions to mislead the public.

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