AIADMK up in arms against actor Vijay's 'Sarkar' over reference to Jayalalithaa
Chennai, Nov 8: The ruling AIADMK is up in arms against Tamil film star Vijay's Diwali release 'Sarkar' for its reported reference to late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, besides the alleged depiction of certain government schemes in bad light.
Senior AIADMK ministers demanded that the contentious scenes to be deleted, and threatened to initiate legal action if the latter failed to comply.
Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar wanted to know why certain references deemed to be that to the late Jayalalithaa had found their way into the script.
Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam said certain scenes amounted to inciting violence and warned of action.
"The scenes relating to burning of government welfare amount to inciting of violence. Whether it is the producer (Sun Pictures) or the actor (Vijay), or theatres-- they will have to face action," he told reporters.
Reports suggested that certain scenes show grinder, mixers and fans being put to fire, seen as an obvious reference to the late J Jayalalithaa's flagship schemes of providing these items free of cost, in line with an electoral promise in 2011.
AIADMK workers staged a protest outside a theatre in Madurai demanding certain scenes be removed.
Jayakumar said it was an attempt at maligning the former party supremo.
"Why unnecessarily make such references. It shows vendetta and an attempt at maligning (her)," he said.
He also wondered if the filmmakers could have come up with such a flick when Jayalalithaa was alive and said her death has "emboldened" them.
"If they (Vijay) had spelt out their policies, ideology and if the movie is reflective of that, it is fine. But in order to project themselves, to trample over others' sentiments and hurting them, that is not acceptable," he said and called for legal action against the crew.
Referring to the films of matinee idol and AIADMK founder, the late chief minister MG Ramachandran, Jayakumar said the former's films never carried such content.
In an apparent reference to Ramachandran's elevation from a cinema star to a chief minister of the state later, he said "not all can become MGR."
Lashing out at Vijay, Information Minister Kadambur C Raju said, "This is not good for a growing actor like Vijay."
"The matter has come to the government's notice. We will advise them to remove the scenes. If they do it themselves its fine, otherwise, we will decide the next course of action," he said.
'Sarkar,' produced by Sun Pictures stars Vijay, Keerthi Suresh, Radharavi, Varalakshmi Sarathkumar and is directed by AR Murugadoss and has music by Oscar winner AR Rahman.
The film had earlier courted a pre-release controversy over plagiarism.
An aspiring filmmaker claimed that the story of the film was his, following which Murugadoss went in for a compromise with the claimant.
Incidentally, Vijay's earlier flick 'Mersal' had the BJP cry foul over certain "incorrect" references to the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
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8 children between ages of 1 and 14 dead after mass shooting in Louisiana, police say
Shreveport(US) (AP): A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in shootings at two different homes early Sunday in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in more than two years, police in Shreveport said.
The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old, said Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon. A total of 10 were shot and some of the children were related to the suspect, Bordelon said.
The gunman later died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect, Bordelon said. The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police, according to Bordelon.
Police did not release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male. The shootings were the result of a “domestic disturbance,” Bordelon said.
Officials said they were still gathering details at the crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — the two homes and a third location.
“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” he said.
It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.
“I just don't know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana with about 180,000 residents. “It's a terrible morning.”
Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.
State police are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.
Louisiana Gov Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We're deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.
