It has not been long since AIADMK General Secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami referred to the actors who were vocal during the previous ADMK regime but conspicuously silent on various socio-political issues during the DMK regime. Suriya Sivakumar, one of the actors mentioned indirectly by Edappadi K Palaniswami in his speech, has now credited (albeit indirectly) the DMK government for Supreme Court’s verdict on Jallikattu.

The Supreme Court of India on 18 May 2023 dismissed the petitions challenging the law permitting Jallikattu, the bull-taming sport that is seen as an integral part of Tamil culture.

The Constitution bench upheld the validity of amendments made by Tamil Nadu to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act).

This judgement has put the final nail in the coffin for the attempts by PETA India and Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in getting the Tamil sport banned.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) of which DMK was part of showed great interest in banning Jallikattu. In fact, on December 15, 2015, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote a letter to the Human Society International, an organization similar to PETA, voicing his strong opposition to Jallikattu. Not only did he say that this most ‘horrible’ form of entertainment be not promoted, but he also wished the organization success in their goal of banning it.

Then Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had banned Jallikattu by adding bull to the list of animals prohibited for ‘performance’. He had welcomed the Supreme Court’s ban on Jallikattu in 2014 and called it a barbaric sport.

In fact, the Congress party (of which Suriya’s sister-in-law Nagma is a member) had called for a ban on Jallikattu in its 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly election manifesto. The National Herald, the mouthpiece of the Congress, published an article criticizing the protests in a slanderous manner saying that Tamil men used the protests to ‘assert their manhood’ after feeling emasculated under the iron-fist rule of later former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

However “actor” Surya, who has remained silent on the recent hooch tragedy and also on all socio-political issues that have occurred during the DMK government, has come forward to indirectly praise the DMK government, despite the fact that history reveals that the DMK-Congress government is the reason for the ban on Jallikattu.

Surya said in a tweet praising the state governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, that is the DMK and the Congress, “Happy and proud to note the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s ruling, upholding Jallikattu that’s integral to our Tamil culture & Kambala to Kannada culture! Hearty congratulations to both State Governments and respect to all those who fought consistently against the ban.”

Happy and proud to note the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s ruling, upholding #Jallikattu that’s integral to our Tamil culture & #Kambala to Kannada culture!
Hearty congratulations to both State Governments and respect to all those who fought consistently against the ban.…

— Suriya Sivakumar (@Suriya_offl) May 19, 2023

Suriya omitted the ADMK, which passed the ordinance in support of Jallikattu, as well as the Central BJP government, which approved the ordinance.

Many on social media called out the hypocrisy of Suriya for acting like a propagandist of DMK.

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As of Monday (15 May 2023) evening, the death toll from the consumption of illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu had risen to 17. The alleged incident occurred in Ekkiyarkuppam, a small fishing hamlet in the Vizhuppuram district. A significant number of fatalities were also reported in Sithamur, Chengalpattu district.

Following this incident, Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu directed all district SPs, city police commissioners, and Prohibition Division officers to step up anti-liquor operations. Consequently, police in Tamil Nadu are actively investigating and making arrests in this regard.

So far, 410 people have been arrested in 10 districts, including Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur, Villupuram, Nagai, Mayiladuthurai, and Cuddalore, in connection with the sale of illegal liquor. 150 people have been remanded in custody. Around 260 criminals are out on bail and ten people have gone missing. According to the DGP office, 8,748 liters of spurious liquor and 4,720 bottles of spirits have been confiscated thus far, and action is being taken against spurious liquor in various districts.

Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami personally met and inquired about the well-being of the people who are being treated at the Mundyambakkam government hospital for consumption of spurious liquor.

Addressing the press after his meeting, he stated “The government has failed to control the sale of bootleg liquor. The DMK government is notorious for allowing the sale of alcohol in sports stadiums and shopping malls. They said that milk and honey would flood the streets if DMK comes to power. But the reality is that only spurious liquor is flowing. Drugs like ganja are easily available in Tamil Nadu. No social activist or actor has spoken out against the deaths caused by illegal liquor. During the AIADMK rule, many people sang songs against alcoholism. But I’m wondering where they all went now. Common people were killed after consuming illicit alcohol sold by members of the ruling party and people with political backgrounds. Those responsible for these crimes should be punished without regard for political affiliation.

It should be noted that actors such as Surya, Karthi, Siddharth, and Kamal Haasan, who were making political statements during the AIADMK regime, have gone silent, and it is these people who Edappadi Palaniswami refers to in his speech. TASMAC Kovan, May 17 Thirumurugan Gandhi, Poovulagin Nanbar G Sundarrajan and other activists who had been protesting for everything during the AIADMK regime went into hibernation mode as well.

Meanwhile, old tweets from actors Surya, Karthi, and Kamal Haasan are going viral, calling their silence into question. On July 29, 2020, actor Surya took to social media to express his opposition to the draft Environmental Impact Assessment 2020 (EIA draft 2020).

On July 29, 2020, actor Surya took to social media to express his opposition to the draft Environmental Impact Assessment 2020 (EIA draft 2020). He backed his brother, actor Karthi, in his statement against EIA 2020. In a tweet, Suriya Sivakumar said, “More than the words we utter, the unuttered silence is very dangerous. Save… Save.. Save the environment.. Let us dispel the silence.” Quoting this tweet netizen asked actor Surya Sivakumar to dispel his silence.

பேசிய வார்த்தைகளை விட, பேசாத மௌனம் மிக ஆபத்தானது. காக்க.. காக்க.. சுற்றுச்சூழல் காக்க.. நம் மௌனம் கலைப்போம்.. #EIA2020 https://t.co/le0hgpzHPX

— Suriya Sivakumar (@Suriya_offl) July 29, 2020

On June 13, 2021, Kamal Hasan, a small screen anchor, tweeted, ” Alcohol is essential for those who are used to drinking and those who are used to selling. The new Chief Minister must ensure that the same scene does not occur following a regime change.” Social media users wondered where the actor’s rage against liquor had gone.

குடித்துப் பழகியவர்களுக்கும், விற்றுப் பழகியவர்களுக்குமே மது அத்தியாவசியம். ஆட்சி மாறினாலும் காட்சிகள் மாறவில்லை எனும் அவச்சொல் எழாமல் புதிய முதல்வர் பார்த்துக்கொள்ளவேண்டும்.

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) June 13, 2021

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The VVIP treatment given to actor Surya and his family at the Keezhadi museum has now drawn criticism, as people, including schoolchildren, were forced to stand in the scorching sun for several hours outside the museum.

While the controversy surrounding actor Surya’s relocation to Mumbai for his children’s education has yet to die down, he has become embroiled in yet another controversy by receiving VVIP treatment at the Keezhadi Museum. Surya, who opposed the New Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu during the ADMK regime, has now admitted his children to a school in a state ruled by the BJP, where NEP is accepted and there is a three-language policy. Surya’s hypocrisy was the talk of social media last week.

In this instance, actor Surya, his wife actress Jyothika, and their two children went to Madurai’s Keezhadi Museum on Saturday (April 2). During the visit to the Keezhadi museum, Suriya’s father Shiva Kumar, and Madurai CPI(M) MP Su Venkatesan were also seen together.

Suriya’s visit to Keezhadi is embroiled in yet another controversy. Actor Surya and his family arrived at Keezadi Museum at 9.30 a.m. yesterday. Normally, the museum is open to the public beginning at 10 a.m. However, due to the presence of Surya’s family yesterday, the public was not permitted to enter for more than an hour.

Surya and his family were said to have been inside the museum for more than an hour and a half, and no one was allowed to enter until he left. Schoolchildren under the age of ten who were on an excursion were forced to stand in the scorching sun until Surya’s family left the museum.

Actor Surya and his family have come under fire after an image of schoolchildren being forced to wait outside the museum went viral on social media. Netizens questioned why children should be forced to wait in the hot sun to give Surya’s family preferential treatment. They also asked as to whether Surya and his family are above the law.

https://twitter.com/ItsyourMB/status/1642101273775468545?s=20

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BJP state general secretary Karu Nagarajan has said that Actor Surya should give training to poor government school students and make them doctors.

BJP state general secretary Karu Nagarajan told reporters at the Kamalalayam in Thiyagaraya Nagar, Chennai, that,” A case has been filed in the High Court against the AK Rajan committee investigating the impact of NEET for medical admission. During the hearing, the High Court asked the state government a number of questions, claiming that the committee is in violation of the Supreme Court ruling.”

He went on to say that the NEET exam has no bearing on social justice and that students in previous methods of medical admission were not given a second chance, but in the NEET exam students are given three chances.

He further said that 405 government school students were admitted to medical school last year only because of the NEET exam and that the DMK, which was part of the UPA coalition at the time, did not oppose NEET when it was initially proposed.

He ended by adding,” Surya is a good actor. That’s it. He should start NEET training center for poor government school students and help them become a doctor.”

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In a strongly worded order, the Madras High Court while declining to initiate contempt proceedings against actor Surya, asked him to consider his words before speaking.

Chief Justice AP Sahi rejecting Justice SM Subramaniam’s request to initiate contempt proceedings against the actor said “A statement made in exuberance may bring about a trial and, therefore, in view of the peculiar status on which this institution is pedestalled under the Constitution, it would be prudent on the part of the individuals to carefully frame their minds and express themselves that may not cross the borders of any fair and just criticism.”

The Court came down heavily on Surya and said “Drawing support from what we have expressed herein above, we find that the utterances by the cine actor may have been absolutely unnecessary or even unwarranted, for being ignorant of the manner in which the entire judiciary of this State has served the interest of its citizens during this pandemic, and any such statement could have been avoided in a much more sober way, instead of an accusing tone, which though trivial in nature has raised a storm in a tea cup.”

However, the Court noted that the matter did not deserve to be pursued any further agreeing with the opinion expressed by Advocate General. It noted that it was not its job to use a sledgehammer to avoid something which can be perceived to be not capable of even being propped up as a contempt, much less debated to the level of a criminal contempt.

Actor Surya Sivakumar, who of late finds himself in news more for his virtue signalling positions than for his movies, courted trouble after he wrote an elaborate letter voicing out his opinion against the conducting of NEET exam.

In his letter, Surya took a jibe at the courts saying that “while the courts dispensed justice through video-conferencing for fear of infection, they order students to be fearless and write exams in person.”

This comment has not gone down well with the judges fraternity. Justice SM Subramaniam of the Madras High Court wrote to Chief Justice AP Sahi to initiate suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the actor for his unsolicited opinions on the court.

Noting that such comments would lead to a erosion of public confidence on the judiciary, Justice SM Subramaniam had said in his letter that “The said statement in my considered opinion amounts to contempt of Court as the integrity and devotion of the Hon’ble Judges as well as the Judicial System of our Great Nation are not only undermined but criticised in a bad shape,”.

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Actor Surya Sivakumar, who of late finds himself in news more for his virtue signalling positions than for his movies, has courted trouble after he wrote an elaborate letter voicing out his opinion against the conducting of NEET exam.

In his letter Surya called NEET and other entrance exams as ‘Manu Needhi’ exams saying that such exams brought out by the government amplified inequalities in society. He said that education policies are being framed by those who do not understand ground realities.

However, in an attempt to showcase his wit and drive home his point, Surya took a jibe at the courts saying that “while the courts dispensed justice through video-conferencing for fear of infection, they order students to be fearless and write exams in person.”

This comment has not gone down well with the judges fraternity. Justice SM Subramaniam of the Madras High Court has written to Chief Justice AP Sahi to initiate suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against the actor for his unsolicited opinions on the court.  

“The Statement reveals that the Hon’ble Judges are afraid of their own life and rendering justice through video conferencing. While-so, they have no morale to pass orders directing the students to appear for NEET Exam without fear,” Justice SM Subramaniam wrote.

Noting that such comments would lead to a erosion of public confidence on the judiciary, Justice SM Subramaniam said,“The said statement in my considered opinion amounts to contempt of Court as the integrity and devotion of the Hon’ble Judges as well as the Judicial System of our Great Nation are not only undermined but criticised in a bad shape,”.

He said in his letter that that Suriya’s statement would warrant contempt proceedings as it criticised the judges and the judicial system of the country. 

Surya’s upcoming movie ‘Soorarai Potru’ is set to be released directly on Amazon Prime on October 30.

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