On the auspicious occasion of Tamizh Puthandu (Tamil New Year) on 14 April 2024, amidst the festive spirit engulfing Tamil Nadu, notable actor and part-time politician Vijay, who recently launched his political outfit, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), stirred controversy by refraining from extending wishes for the Tamil New Year. Instead, Vijay took to social media to share greetings for Ambedkar Jayanti, which coincidentally fell on the same day.
In a tweet from the official handle of the actor’s political entity, Vijay expressed greetings for Ambedkar Jayanti, the day commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
#Ambedkar#அம்பேத்கர் pic.twitter.com/T0Ux934OZQ
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) April 14, 2024
This deviation from the customary wishes for Tamizh Puthandu drew sharp criticism from certain quarters, with detractors accusing Vijay of aligning with Dravidianist ideologies, particularly the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which historically downplays Tamil New Year celebrations in favor of emphasizing other cultural and political events.
No wishes for Tamil New Year from Vijay, clearly sticking on to the D ideology that today is not Tamil new year. Just wishes for Ambedkar birthday today.
Only a deranged group that's never touched a book in a century would accept such distortion of history upon itself.… https://t.co/2qbfY1jqBr
— Tamil Labs 2.0 (@labstamil) April 14, 2024
It is noteworthy that politicians from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have conspicuously abstained from extending greetings to Hindus, particularly during festivals like Tamil New Year. Chief Minister Stalin has been observed extending wishes for various festivals celebrated in the state, excluding those of Tamil or Hindu origin.
Moreover, during their tenure in government, the DMK implemented changes that shifted the Tamil New Year to January 14/15 (Pongal), deviating from its traditional observance. This alteration in the cultural calendar has been viewed by some as an attempt to reshape the historical traditions and customs of the Tamil people.
Coming back to Vijay’s Ambedkar Jayanti post, critics expressed their disapproval, highlighting what they perceived as a departure from Vijay’s previous actions. Notably, it is worthy to point out a contrasting instance in 2022, when Vijay had extended wishes for Tamil New Year coinciding with the release of his film “Beast” on 13 April.
The sudden shift in Vijay’s greetings was interpreted by some as a strategic maneuver following his entry into politics, indicative of opportunistic political posturing, suggesting that he may be going the Dravidianist (DMK) path and likely to abandon his previous stance on Tamil/Hindu culture and tradition.
Just in 2022, when Vijay's Beast was releasing on 13 April, Mr.Vijay wished for Tamil New Year.
Magically, once he entered politics, Tamil New Year date suddenly shifted to January 14.
Chameleons might be ashamed of politician's swifter color changes pic.twitter.com/qvq2gliHiU https://t.co/fou58yeFUT
— Tamil Labs 2.0 (@labstamil) April 14, 2024
The omission of Tamil New Year wishes by Vijay, a prominent figure in Tamil cinema and now a burgeoning political leader, has sparked debates on social media, with contrasting interpretations regarding his alignment with Dravidianist ideologies and the implications for his political aspirations.
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