Just days after Chief Minister Vijay and senior Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leaders reiterated a strict ban on banners, cut-outs and public displays that inconvenience citizens, a birthday celebration event linked to Vijay’s upcoming birthday has triggered controversy in Tambaram.
A stage erected by allegedly encroaching upon a public road in the MEPZ area of Tambaram and posters put up ahead of Vijay’s birthday celebrations have drawn attention, particularly because the event was attended by Tambaram TVK MLA and Minister for Human Resources Management and Ex-Servicemen Welfare, D. Sarathkumar (also known as Ghilli Sarath).
#NewsUpdate | தாம்பரம்: மெப்ஸ் பகுதியில் அமைச்சர் சரத் பங்கேற்கும் முதல்வர் பிறந்த நாள் நிகழ்ச்சிக்காக சாலையை ஆக்கிரமித்து போடப்பட்டுள்ள மேடை#SunNews | #Tambaram | #TVK pic.twitter.com/4m80biPztk
— Sun News (@sunnewstamil) June 15, 2026
The development comes in contrast to the position repeatedly articulated by Vijay since assuming office as Chief Minister.
Soon after taking charge, Vijay sought to distance his party from Tamil Nadu’s long-standing political culture of giant banners, cut-outs and public celebrations that often obstruct roads and inconvenience the public. The Chief Minister directed party workers not to erect banners, hoardings or similar displays for birthdays, family functions or political events in public spaces, roadsides or crowded locations.
The party leadership warned that strict disciplinary action would be taken against anyone violating the directive and stressed that no celebration should create inconvenience for the general public or disrupt traffic.
The issue carries particular sensitivity because banner culture has been repeatedly criticised by the Madras High Court following the death of Subashri in 2019. The young woman lost her life after a political banner fell onto the road, causing a fatal accident while she was riding a two-wheeler. Since then, courts have repeatedly cautioned political parties against erecting banners and structures that endanger public safety.
Against this backdrop, TVK General Secretary and Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N. Anand recently reiterated the party’s position during a meeting of TVK MLAs, district secretaries and office-bearers at the party headquarters in Panaiyur.
Reviewing arrangements for Chief Minister Vijay’s birthday celebrations scheduled for June 22, Anand instructed party functionaries to completely avoid banner and cut-out culture and instead focus on welfare activities such as annadhanam, medical camps and assistance programmes for the poor.
He reminded party cadres that Vijay had explicitly directed members not to cause any inconvenience to the public during birthday celebrations.
He also acknowledged that banners continued to appear at some party events despite repeated instructions and warned cadres against violating the directive.
However, even as the party leadership was reiterating these instructions, posters celebrating Vijay’s upcoming birthday appeared in the MEPZ area of Tambaram. Additionally, a stage was reportedly erected by occupying a portion of the roadway for a birthday-related event attended by Minister and Tambaram MLA Ghilli Sharath.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
