📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Dani Charles, silverscreen.in
Politics
DMK slams Vijay’s gesture as RSS salute amid Tamil Nadu reservation debate
✍️ India Today
🗓 16 Oct 2026, 06:46 AM
👁 10
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has likened actor Vijay’s recent hand gesture to the RSS salute, intensifying the ongoing debate over reservation policies in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu’s political climate has become increasingly charged over the state’s reservation policy, with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) taking a strong stance against a gesture made by popular actor Vijay. The party’s spokesperson described Vijay’s hand movement as reminiscent of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) salute, a comparison that has sparked widespread discussion on social media and in the legislature.
The controversy erupted after Vijay, who enjoys a massive fan following, displayed the gesture during a public appearance. While the actor has not officially commented on the political implications, opposition parties seized the moment to question his alignment with nationalist symbols.
DMK leaders argue that invoking the RSS salute in Tamil Nadu, a state with a long history of Dravidian secularism, undermines the region’s cultural ethos. They also contend that the focus on the gesture distracts from the substantive issues surrounding reservation quotas for backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes.
Political analysts note that the incident reflects the broader strategy of the DMK to rally anti‑RSS sentiment ahead of upcoming state elections. The party’s criticism is likely to resonate with its core voter base, which remains wary of perceived imposition of central nationalist narratives.
As the debate unfolds, civic groups and legal experts are watching for any formal complaints or petitions that might arise from the exchange, while Vijay’s supporters continue to defend the actor’s intent as apolitical.
The controversy erupted after Vijay, who enjoys a massive fan following, displayed the gesture during a public appearance. While the actor has not officially commented on the political implications, opposition parties seized the moment to question his alignment with nationalist symbols.
DMK leaders argue that invoking the RSS salute in Tamil Nadu, a state with a long history of Dravidian secularism, undermines the region’s cultural ethos. They also contend that the focus on the gesture distracts from the substantive issues surrounding reservation quotas for backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes.
Political analysts note that the incident reflects the broader strategy of the DMK to rally anti‑RSS sentiment ahead of upcoming state elections. The party’s criticism is likely to resonate with its core voter base, which remains wary of perceived imposition of central nationalist narratives.
As the debate unfolds, civic groups and legal experts are watching for any formal complaints or petitions that might arise from the exchange, while Vijay’s supporters continue to defend the actor’s intent as apolitical.