Chennai: TVK chief C. Joseph Vijay has stirred a fresh political debate after paying tribute on Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day and expressing solidarity with Sri Lankan Tamils.
In a post on X, Vijay remembered Mullivaikkal and said, “We will keep the memories of Mullivaikkal in our hearts. We will always stand united for the rights of our Tamil brothers and sisters living across the sea.” His message came on May 18, a date observed by many Sri Lankan Tamils and sections of Tamils in India as Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day.
The day marks the final phase of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009, when thousands of Tamil civilians were killed, injured or went missing in and around the coastal village of Mullivaikkal. The conflict, which lasted nearly three decades, had its roots in demands for a separate Tamil homeland and allegations of discrimination against Sri Lankan Tamils.
Vijay’s remarks have drawn attention because the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam remains a banned organisation in India due to its role in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. LTTE founder Velupillai Prabhakaran was named as a key accused in the case.
In Tamil Nadu politics, the Sri Lankan Tamil issue has long carried emotional and electoral weight. Mainstream Dravidian parties have handled the subject cautiously after the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, while newer political forces have attempted to foreground Tamil identity more aggressively.
Vijay’s statement is therefore being seen not merely as a remembrance message, but as a political signal aimed at strengthening his Tamil-first positioning.