Bharathiraja has said that only a Tamilian should rule over Tamil Nadu, in what is perceived to be veiled criticism of Rajinikanth, who has continued to issue vague hints about entering politics.
At an event to celebrate the launch of director Perarasu’s new book, Bharathiraja said, “Anybody can enter politics. But only a Tamilian can rule over Tamil Nadu. Only a Tamilian must be allowed to govern over us all. We allow anybody to flourish in our state, but is it the same for us elsewhere? Do other states seem friendly to us? Can we rule in other states? Think about this before you make a decision.”
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The director also alleged that many attempts were being made to suppress Tamil language and culture. “Earlier, we used to sing the Tamizh thaai vaazhthu. Now, we are being forced to sing only the National Anthem. Isn’t our song good enough? Similarly, they’re trying to stuff Hindi down our throats. Now, more than anytime else, we need the youth to stand united and protect our way of living and culture. We have all become old now, so it is up to the Tamil youth to become protectors of our culture.”
Bharathiraja’s comments have been widely interpreted as criticism of Rajinikanth, whose Marathi origins continue to be used by his detractors to criticize him.