Vijay and anti-Sri Lankan Tamil Nadu political rhetoric

Two weeks ago, superstar Kollywood actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, popularly known as Thalapathy Vijay, held a massive political rally in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, which not only drew the attention of India’s southern state but also made news waves in Sri Lanka due to the film star’s controversial remark over Katchatheevu Island. During his speech at the rally, which recorded huge attendance, the film star had urged the Indian Premier Narendra Modi to retrieve Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka to ensure the safety of fishermen in Tamil Nadu. 

Whenever there is an election in Tamil Nadu, Katchatheevu becomes a talking point. Even last year, during Lok Sabha election, leaders of India’s ruling political party slammed Indira Gandhi’s Congress administration for callously ceding the island to Sri Lanka. For decades, Tamil Nadu politicians have stirred anti-Sri Lankan sentiments to cement their political legacies. In 1974, India acknowledged Katchatheevu as part of Sri Lanka’s territory in a maritime boundary agreement signed by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her counterpart Sirimavo Bandaranaike. There is no merit whatsoever in raising concerns about a matter which was amicably resolved 50 years ago diplomatically between the two states.

The 1974 Sirima–Indira Pact allowed Indian fishermen and pilgrims to visit Katchatheevu without needing a travel document or a visa, but the agreement did not specify the fishing rights of Indian fishermen in the waters around Katchatheevu, which has caused disputes between fishing communities of the two countries. Illicit poaching by fishermen from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lanka’s northern seas is a huge threat to the livelihoods of fishermen in the northern parts of Sri Lanka. Further, the bottom trawling method of fishing used by Tami Nadu fishermen is extremely harmful to marine habitats on the ocean floor, creating serious conservation issues. It is alleged that politicians/political parties in Tamil Nadu encourage fishermen to encroach into the island’s northern seas with the intention of creating rifts between the two states.

The relationship between New Delhi and Colombo has been greatly influenced by the politics of Tamil Nadu since the two nations gained independence. During the period of the rebellion by the LTTE, the regional government of Tamil Nadu, headed by the DMK as well as AIADMK, provided financial as well as logistical support to Tamil Tigers to carry out terrorist activities against the Sri Lankan State. 

For a long period of time, Tamil Nadu’s political sphere has been dominated by the DMK, which is led by the present Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, and AIADMK, which has gone into decline since the death of J. Jayalalithaa. Political analysts believe that Vijay and his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) are targeting the votes of disheartened supporters of the AIADMK to mount a strong challenge to his political rival Stalin at the assembly election next year. During the highly successful public rally, the celebrity superstar had spoken quite affectionately about M.G. Ramachandran – the founder of the AIADMK.

The South Indian superstar has a special connection to Sri Lanka as he is married to a Sri Lankan Tamil lady. Unfortunately, even before making his political entry, Vijay was a noticeable participant in activities that despised Sri Lanka. While the offensive against the LTTE was going on, Thalapathy took part in a one-day hunger strike to demonstrate his opposition towards the Government of Sri Lanka. In 2011, he proclaimed that the Island would be wiped off from the world map in the event Sri Lankan Navy attacked any more fishermen from his state subsequent to the alleged killing of a fisherman from Tamil Nadu, who had trespassed into the Sri Lankan waters, by Sri Lankan Navy.

Kollywood superstars dominating the regional political landscape of Tamil Nadu is nothing new. But does the celluloid hero have the capacity to govern India’s second-largest state economy? Whatever said and done, with Thalapathi’s theatrics, entertaining and colourful times are ahead for Tamil Nadu politics.