Chennai: “It is highly condemnable that TVK members are harshly criticizing and insulting Vijay Sethupathi, misinterpreting the general remarks he made on the Bigg Boss television show as if he had spoken against Chief Minister Vijay,” said Seeman, the chief coordinator of the Naam Tamilar Katchi.
In the statement he issued regarding this, “In the Bigg Boss television show, the general remarks made by the show’s host Vijay Sethupathi about leadership, responsibility, and authority, in the context of the game-like atmosphere among the contestants, have been interpreted by TVK members on their own as being spoken against Chief Minister Vijay, and their severely criticizing and insulting him is highly condemnable.
Vijay Sethupathi did not mention anyone by name; he did not point to any political party. He is expressing his opinion on leadership based on a situation that arose in a game. Why immediately compare it with their own leader and try to attack the person who made the comment?
Why is it that the anger that has not come upon any other party comes only to TVK members, from the minister down to the cadre? If even a general comment about leadership makes you this angry, how are you going to face direct criticism that arises in a democracy?
Is this the alternative politics you keep talking about? Is this your political culture? Is this your democratic dignity? Is this all your tolerance amounts to?
In a democratic country, not only political leaders and public representatives, but also artists, writers, journalists, students, and the general public have the right to express their views. We may not like those views. We can reject them; we can argue against them. But going as a mob to abuse an individual, threaten them, or defame them is not a democratic political virtue.
Once you enter politics, you cannot expect only praise. You must face criticism and questions as well. Power is not a shield that protects you from criticism; it is a responsibility to answer criticism.
Therefore, those concerned should immediately stop misinterpreting Vijay Sethupathi’s general remarks as criticism of themselves and insulting him, abusing him, and subjecting him to personal attacks.
Thinking that only the opinions one likes should be spoken by others is not democracy. Democracy is allowing even opposing views to be spoken and responding to them with reasoned arguments.
It is not enough to simply make a film called “Democracy.” One must uphold true democracy and protect its dignity. Counter an opinion with another opinion. Respond to a question with an answer. Do not try to suppress freedom of expression through abuse or threats,” he said.