TN Law Minister says movie 'Sarkar' instigates violence

Chennai, Nov 8 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Law Minister C.V. Shanmugam on Thursday compared the scenes in the actor Vijay-starred movie 'Sarkar' with terrorist activity aimed at instigating violence against the state government.

His remarks came even as AIADMK supporters protested outside theatres in Madurai, Coimbatore and in Chennai which screened the movie.

Speaking to reporters, Shanmugam -- without naming anyone -- said the movie producer, hero and the theratre owners screening 'Sarkar, would face legal action.

Shanmugam was angry as there is a scene in the movie where the hero throws out some of the items given by the state government as freebies and burning them.

According to Shanmugam, the actor is instigating violence against the government "under the guise of the movie."

While the DMK government headed by M. Karunanidhi in Tamil Nadu gave TV sets free to the poor, the AIADMK headed by J. Jayalalithaa went further and gave fans, mixer-grinder and suchlike gratis to the poor.

Shanmugam said he suspects if the actor has links with overseas organisations wanting to throw out a duly elected government in the state.

Meanwhile, PMK founder S.Ramadoss wondered whether director A.R. Murugadoss and hero Vijay should not have social responsibility when they speak about political responsibility in the movie.

Ramadoss said the movie has scenes in which Vijay was shown smoking.

He said while Vijay in the movie fights against bogus voting, "should he not have the social responsibility of not keeping smoking scenes in the movie?"

Ramadoss quoted data to say that about 12 lakh people die from smoking in India per year and in Tamil Nadu alone, the figure is about one lakh per year.

The PMK leader said in Tamil Nadu boys in the age group 10-17 start smoking and that Vijay's fans also fall under that age group.

Ramdoss said Vijay should have propagated the anti-smoking message.