Actor Vijay, who recently launched his political party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), seems to be repeatedly proving that the party is just a 2.0 version of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhaga (DMK). Let us look at past instances where Vijay parroted the same stance as the DMK.
Not Wishing For Vinayakar Chaturthi
Vijay did not acknowledge or wish the people of the state for Vinayakar Chaturthi, a festival celebrated by 87.58% of the Hindu population in the state. Kollywood actor and TVK chief Vijay appeared to be deliberately avoiding respecting the cultural values and beliefs of Hindus and Tamils. This accusation is supported by his selective social media posts on his official X account.
Not Wishing For Tamil New Year (Puthandu)
Instead of wishing for Tamil New Year which is a significant festival for Hindus in Tamil Nadu, Vijay chose to wish his fans and followers for Ambedkar Jayanti, which coincidentally falls on the same day. This is the same strategy employed by the DMK on the auspicious occasion of Hindu celebrations and festivals such as Vinayakar Chaturthi, Saraswathi Pooja, and other festive occasions.
#Ambedkar#அம்பேத்கர் pic.twitter.com/T0Ux934OZQ
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) April 14, 2024
Stand On NEET
On 3 July 2024, at a special meet and greet to honour students who topped in the recently held 10th and 12th-grade examinations, Vijay resonated (TVK) with the DMK, expressing opposition to the NEET medical entrance examination. TVK chief Vijay said, “If you look at this NEET, it is a fact that the students in our Tamil Nadu, especially the rural areas, where the poor, the backward, the most backward, and the lower class, are all affected. Therefore, the exam discriminates against state students and should be eliminated.”
No Wishes For Krishna Jayanti
Vijay cautiously neglected even the Hindu festival of Krishna Jayanthi on 26 August 2024.
Wishing For Onam
Surprisingly, as if making a statement to reach out to his Malayali fans and followers, Vijay wished for the Onam festival.
மலையாள சொந்தங்கள் அனைவருக்கும் என் இதயம் கனிந்த #ஓணம் நல்வாழ்த்துகள்!
എന്റെ സ്വന്തം മലയാളി സുഹൃത്തുക്കൾക്ക് ഹൃദയം നിറഞ്ഞ ഓണാശംസകൾ.#HappyOnam!
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) September 15, 2024
DMK (MK Stalin) also had wished for Onam last year.
Wishing For Christian, Muslim Festivals & Other Special Days
He has acknowledged and wished for Muslim festivals like Ramzan and Eid, Christian festivals like Easter, as well as neutral days such as May 1 (Labour Day), Ambedkar Jayanti, Independence Day, and Mother’s Day.
#IndependenceDay2024 pic.twitter.com/321VECPbAF
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) August 15, 2024
#MothersDay pic.twitter.com/47PBLgnFoh
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) May 12, 2024
உழைப்பின் மேன்மையையும் உழைப்பாளர்களின் சிறப்பினையும் உலகிற்குப் பறைசாற்றும் இந்த மே தினத்தில், தொழிலாளர் சகோதர சகோதரிகள் அனைவருக்கும் எனது உளமார்ந்த “மே தின” நல்வாழ்த்துகளைத் தெரிவித்துக்கொள்கிறேன்.#MayDay2024 #LabourDay pic.twitter.com/HZ9Zp0nKMn
— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) May 1, 2024
புனித ரமலான் மாதத்தில் இறைவனை வேண்டி நோன்பிருந்து, அன்பு, கருணை, ஈகை, சகோதரத்துவம் உள்ளிட்ட உயரிய பண்புகளை உலகுக்கு எடுத்துக்கூறும் இஸ்லாமிய உறவுகள் அனைவருக்கும் என் நெஞ்சம் நிறைந்த ரமலான் திருநாள் வாழ்த்துகளைத் தெரிவித்துக்கொள்கிறேன்.
விஜய்,
தலைவர்,
தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகம்— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) April 11, 2024
உலக மக்கள் அனைவரிடமும் அமைதி நிலவ, அன்பு, சகோதரத்துவம், ஒற்றுமை, தியாகம் தழைத்தோங்க, புனிதமான இந்நன்னாளில் அனைவருக்கும் ஈஸ்டர் பெருவிழா வாழ்த்துகள்.
விஜய்,
தலைவர்,
தமிழக வெற்றிக் கழகம்— TVK Vijay (@tvkvijayhq) March 31, 2024
This pattern suggests that Vijay, simping DMK sees himself as a proxy of the DMK, which follows a similar approach in Tamil Nadu. Critics argue that if Vijay’s new party is merely an extension of DMK policies, he might as well join the DMK directly and aim for a Rajya Sabha seat, as his predecessor part-time politician and full-time actor Kamal Haasan already laid the path.
If Vijay has an issue exclusively with Hindus and Tamil festivals like Vinayagar Chaturthi, it suggests he is viewing matters through a DMK lens. This approach to appeasement politics has already begun to trouble the DMK, and it is likely to cause similar problems for Vijay and his new party, which also seems to focus on minority appeasement.
TVK = DMK 2.0?
Actor Vijay entered into politics with the formation of his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in February 2024 and this move has often been compared to fellow actor and part-time politician Kamal Haasan and his party Makkal Needhi Maiam. This parallel is evident in the strategic moves and statements made by Vijay, which align closely with the ideology of the Dravidian movement and the DMK.
The political landscape of Tamil Nadu, gearing up for the 2026 state legislative assembly elections, will also be witness to yet another cine star namely Vijay, seemingly propelled by the DMK to echo their Dravidian ideology and potentially further divide the votes in the state.
This strategy echoes the historical move where Kamal Haasan entered politics at a time when actor Rajinikanth was contemplating starting his party, with Rajinikanth’s vision leaning towards spiritual politics. To counter this, the DMK strategically supported Kamal Haasan’s political debut to split the votes.
It is noteworthy that Vijay, who once proudly identified himself as “Joseph Vijay” and included the phrase “Jesus Saves” on his letterhead during his acting career, made notable changes when he entered TN politics. Upon starting his political party, he shortened his name to just “Vijay,” and the “Jesus Saves” message disappeared from his letterhead. Additionally, his letterhead now features a photo of him adorned with the sacred kungumam (vermillion). Many DMK members such as Jegathrakshakan, and Sekar Babu are often seen with religious marks on their foreheads too.
This guy @actorvijay was proud to claim himself as ‘Joseph Vijay’ and state ‘Jesus Saves’ in his letter pad until he was an actor.
Once he started a political party in Tamilnadu, he changed his name to just ‘Vijay’ and ‘Jesus Saves’ vanished from his letter pad. It doesn’t… pic.twitter.com/T8eOyWzZqd
— Arvinth Easwaran (@arvinth_e) September 15, 2024
Conclusion
In conclusion, while actor Vijay forays into politics with TVK amid much attention, his stance and actions align closely with the leaders of the ruling DMK, raising questions about its uniqueness. His selective acknowledgement of festivals and political positions appears to echo the DMK’s minority appeasement tactics, suggesting that TVK may be an extension of the same ideology.
If Vijay’s political journey continues on this path, it will reinforce Dravidianist perils in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. Ultimately, whether Vijay can establish an independent identity or follow in the DMK’s footsteps will be revealed as the 2026 elections draw closer.
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