A controversy is brewing in Tamil Nadu between actor Vijay’s fans and a Hindu pontiff, who asked people not to watch Vijay’s films “as they insult” Hindu gods and religious sentiments. Madurai Aadheenam’s 293rd pontiff Sri La Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal was speaking in a meeting organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on June 6, at Madurai’s Pazhanganatham.
Addressing the gathering, the pontiff said that he saw a film of actor Vijay and alleged he had insulted Hindu gods. “This actor Vijay, he is saying to Pillayar (Another name for Hindu god Ganesha), ‘if I offer flowers to you, the plants are crying. But if I offer it to my girlfriend Rukku, it smiles’. How dare that actor say such a thing. Do not watch his films. They insult our gods like this. They insult our gods and our epics. If I point it out, they call me sanghi,” he said. While the word ‘sanghi’ means member of a union, the term is used to refer to a person who is considered right-wing in India.
The scene he refers to is from a 1999 Tamil film named Thullatha Manamum Thullum, in which Vijay played the lead role. Vijay will be seen praying to the god prior to the said dialogue.
Condemning the pontiff’s statement, Vijay’s fans are up in arms, and have put up posters in Madurai. One poster has surfaced in social media, which begins with a ‘warning’ and accuses the pontiff of “trying to loot Madurai Adheenam’s properties.” The poster is also undersigned by the Madurai north youth wing of Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. Thalapathy is actor Vijay’s epithet in Tamil Nadu.
மதுரை ஆதீனத்தை கண்டித்து விஜய் ரசிகர்கள் போஸ்டர்!
— Vetri Dhaasan (@vetridhaasan) June 8, 2022
"விளம்பரத்திற்காக பிதற்றுவதை நிறுத்து" என கண்டனம்
கடந்த ஞாயிறன்று நடந்த துறவியர் மாநாட்டு கூட்டத்தில் இந்து மதத்தை அவமதிக்கும் @actorvijay படத்தை யாரும் பார்க்க வேண்டாம் என ஆதீனம் பேசியதற்கு எதிர்ப்பு#Madurai #Vijay #Adheenam pic.twitter.com/ZyxhhaN4Qx
During the VHP event, the pontiff also spoke about the state government, to which Minister of HR&CE PK Sekar Babu responded. According to reports, the pontiff had said that the HR&CE department should be disbanded as it is corrupt. He had also alleged that while the government does not interfere in the affairs of churches or mosques, it does in temples. “While temples should be ideally given to the Aadheenams, we don’t mind even if it doesn’t happen. But this is how a temple should be managed. A judge with a panel of lawyers should be appointed, who will consult pontiffs and local people, and administer the temples,” he said.
Minister Sekar Babu responded by saying that the HR&CE department will not allow political speeches of Madurai Aadheenam, and “if he (the pontiff) continues to make such speeches, we know how to respond in kind,” TNIE reported.
“Madurai Adheenam is making such speeches as he has become a politician. He has no right to say politicians have no right in temples. It’s better if he stops such speeches to maintain a good relationship (with the government) or else we will be forced to respond in kind,” the minister was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
Meanwhile, BJP state president K Annamalai defended the pontiff, stating that he did not criticise the state government in his speech but only said that the temples should not be under their control. “He has the right to voice his opinion. The minister, instead of hearing the speech, is threatening the adheenam, which is unacceptable,” Annamalai said at Yercaud on Thursday, June 9.
The Madurai pontiff was earlier in the news when he strongly condemned the state government’s decision to ban the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ event in Mayiladuthurai’s Dharmapuram. The ban was later revoked by the government.