A massive political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu following a social media post by the newly appointed Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader, Joseph Vijay, on Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day. The day coincides with the death anniversary of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the slain chief of the banned separatist organization, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Seizing the opportunity, the BJP launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, which supports Vijay’s minority government from the outside, questioning its silence despite the LTTE’s historical involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The row began when CM Vijay posted on X (formerly Twitter) stating, “We will cherish the memories of Mullivaikkal in our hearts… We will always stand in solidarity with the rights of our Tamil brethren living across the ocean!” While BJP Media Cell Chief Amit Malviya fiercely targeted Rahul Gandhi, claiming that Congress prioritizes power over the legacy of Rajiv Gandhi, TVK cadres swiftly defended the Chief Minister. They clarified that the post was not a tribute to Prabhakaran individually, but a solemn remembrance of the thousands of innocent Sri Lankan Tamils who were massacred by the island nation’s military during the brutal final phase of the civil war in Mullivaikkal on May 18, 2009.
The political dilemma is particularly intense for the Congress party, which has found itself in an awkward position and chosen to remain absolutely tight-lipped, neither defending nor condemning the Chief Minister’s actions. Due to the strict ban on the LTTE in India following Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, mainstream political parties in Tamil Nadu traditionally avoid open association with symbols connected to the outfit. However, since Vijay’s minority government relies heavily on outside support from Tamil nationalist groups like the VCK, his open advocacy for the Eelam Tamils’ cause has effectively set the stage for an intense ideological battle with national parties.
