Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (VMI), a political society founded by actor Vijay’s father SA Chandrasekhar, has been dissolved after a legal tussle between father and son which began in 2020. In an affidavit submitted to the city civil court, Chandrasekhar said that VMI held a “general body meeting on February 20, 2021” where a resolution was passed that the society was dissolved with “immediate effect”. All members of the society who participated in the meeting accepted the resolution, it says.
Speaking to TNM, Chandrasekhar who founded VMI using his son’s name and photograph against the latter’s wishes said, “I have decided I want to have no more part in politics or the iyakkam or in any political activity in these late years of my life. That’s all, it’s very simple.”
Earlier this week, Vijay petitioned the Chennai City Civil Court against his father, his mother Sobha Sekhar, and 11 others, seeking a restraint on conducting meetings, gathering etc., under Vijay Makkal Iyakkam using his name or photos. The civil suit also includes the Registrar of Societies, All India Vijay Makkal Iyakkam’s district head R Padmanaban as a respondent.
In the suit, Vijay (the plaintiff) said that the formation of a society by incorporating his name with a political agenda is unauthorised and criminal in the eyes of the law. Chandrasekhar had founded VMI in November 2020 and even back then, Vijay publicly distanced himself from the organisation, stating that he had nothing to do with it, and urged his fans not to join the society.
The actor’s petition says that his father, one of the respondents in the suit, addressed a press meet stating that Vijay would join him shortly in all the activities and recognise the society in the future. The petition denies that the actor had ever recognised the society founded in his name and also says that he had given a representation seeking an enquiry into the registration of the society, and asked for cancelling the registration as it incorporated his photo, logo, flag, and caused confusion while humiliating the actor. “...registration of deed/society including political cause in the plaintiff’s name and addressing to public media by inviting the plaintiff to join the society etc without the plaintiff’s knowledge is illegal, immoral, uncivilised and unethical...” the actor’s petition reads.
Vijay’s petition also asks the judge to declare the deed registered under the Societies Act in the name of Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, Virugambakkam null and void. His petition also says that he had “so far not made any call towards political issues or request of participation through news channels or any other printed or social media”.
Vijay Makkal Iyakkam with its office at Virugambakkam, Chennai was registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975 by SA Chandreshakar in June 2020. At the time, Chandrasekhar alleged that he had done so with respect to the wishes of Vijay’s fans that he enter politics.