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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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
