Hindu Makkal Katchi, a political outfit based in Tamil Nadu, has announced a cash prize of Rs 1,001 for anyone who will kick actor Vijay Sethupathi for allegedly insulting Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, patriarch of the Thevar community.
On Sunday, the party, also known as Indu Makkal Katchi, wrote on its official Twitter handle: “Arjun Sampath [head of the party] announces cash award, for kicking actor Vijay Sethupathi for insulting Thevar Ayya. 1 kick = Rs.1001/- for anyone who kicks him, until he apologises.”
According to Arjun Sampath, the alleged insult occurred during the actor’s recent altercation with a bystander at Bengaluru airport. A viral video of the incident shows a man jumping on one of the actor’s aides and the police trying to stop the brawl. A startled Sethupathi is also seen trying to stop the squabble. Subsequently, Bengaluru police registered a suo motu case against the assailant, who reportedly jumped the aide after Sethupathi refused to take a selfie with him.
Speaking to The News Minute, Vijay Sethupathi had earlier said that it was “a very minor issue (that) was blown out of proportion because an onlooker shot the incident on his phone.”
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However, Arjun Sampath told India Today that Maha Gandhi, the man who attacked Vijay Sethupathi, claims the latter had insulted Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar and thus caused the altercation. “Maha Gandhi wanted to wish Vijay Sethupathi for receiving the National award. But Vijay Sethupathi was sarcastic and said that this is not a nation at all,” the HMK leader told the publication. He added that Maha Gandhi was “taken aback” but still invited the actor to attend Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Puja as he was from the southern districts. “But Vijay Sethupathi again replied sarcastically that the only Thevan (God) in the world is Jesus. This led to the altercation. He insulted Pasumpon and the nation.”
Arjun Sampath further said he decided to announce the cash reward after directly speaking to Maha Gandhi. He also questioned why the actor had not commented on the allegations.
Vijay Sethupathi has neither commented on the claims made by the HMK leader nor the party’s cash-prize announcement.