'Sarkar' faces AIADMK ire, government's sedition threat

CHENNAI: The ruling AIADMK on Thursday launched a vituperative attack against Tamil film 'Sarkar' two days after its release, threatening to press sedition charges against the filmmakers for certain 'objectionable scenes', and letting loose its foot soldiers to vandalise movie halls screening the Vijay-starrer.

Party cadres led by senior functionaries jumped into protests from afternoon against Sarkar's alleged anti-AIADMK scenes against the backdrop of high-pitched opposition to the movie by several AIADMK ministers. The scenes taking pot-shots at former chief minister J Jayalalithaa and her welfare schemes drew furious reactions, forcing those associated with the movie to announce late evening that the controversial parts would be removed.

Earlier in the day, state law minister C Ve Shanmugam warned that the objectionable scenes would attract sedition charges.

Meanwhile, director A R Murugadoss in a late-night tweet said: “Police had come to my house late tonight and banged the door several times. Since I was not there they left. Right now I was told there is no police outside my house.”


CM will take final call on sedition charges, says min

Law minister C Ve Shanmugam told TOI, “Government is all for freedom of speech and expression, but some scenes are aimed at the democraticallyelected government in the state. The filmmakers and exhibitors shall be prosecuted for sedition.” “The chief minister will take a final call...” He was closeted with advocate general Vijay Narayan at the secretariat, apparently discussing the Sarkar controversy.

Shanmugam said under the pretext of freedom of expression, the filmmakers were inciting enmity among people. “It is similar to the methods adopted by Naxalites who want to overthrow a government using armed struggle and revolution.”

AIADMK men went on the rampage across TN, tearing ‘Sarkar’ banners and forcing some theatre owners to stop screening of the movie. Demanding removal of ‘objectionable’ scenes showing freebies given by AIADMK government being dumped, they opposed the antagonist being named ‘Komalavalli’, original name of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. Vijay fans maintained silence, stating they were awaiting directions from their ‘leadership.’ In Chennai, AIADMK workers barged into Kasi theatre and damaged banners and hoardings of Vijay. Another group marched towards Devi complex on Anna Salai, Woodlands theatre at Royapettah and Kamala theatre in Vadapalani raising slogans against Vijay.

Chennai police commissioner A K Viswanathan convened an emergency meeting of senior officials and instructed them to deploy adequate forces at theatres screening the movie. Protests were registered in Tiruvarur town and Mannargudi, too. In Coimbatore, AIADMK men started gathering in front of Shanthi theatre near the railway junction around noon and raised slogans against director A R Murugadoss and Vijay.

Madurai north MLA Rajan Chellappa led a protest in Madurai. “I hope none of the theatre owners choose to ignore our demand. If they do so, then we should not be held responsible for the consequences,’’ he said.