The leader of the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Party (TVK), T. Velmurugan, has strongly condemned mainstream North Indian media for a deliberate attempt to misrepresent expressions of solidarity with Eelam Tamils as support for terrorism.
In a statement issued on May 21, Velmurugan criticised media outlets that targeted a social media message posted by Vijay on May 18, marking Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. Vijay had stated that the memories of Mullivaikkal should be carried in people's hearts and pledged continued support for the rights of Tamils living across the sea.
Velmurugan argued that Vijay's message was a humanitarian expression reflecting the suffering endured by Eelam Tamils during the final stages of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009, rather than an endorsement of extremism. He accused certain media organisations of distorting the message and portraying Tamil ethnic identity and humanity as extremist politics.
"Mullivaikkal is not merely the name of a place. It is a historical tragedy written in the blood of Tamils," Velmurugan said, describing the mass civilian deaths during the final months of the genocide as an unhealed wound for Tamils worldwide.
He said that support for Eelam Tamils is not new, noting that political parties, student movements, social organisations and human rights groups had for decades advocated for the safety, rights and political aspirations of Eelam Tamils.
He further recalled that resolutions adopted during the administration of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had characterised the events that took place in Eelam as a genocide, called for an international investigation, and resolved that Eelam Tamil's political solution must be decided by a referendum.
Velmurugan said Tamils living in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Europe, Australia and anywhere else in the world, regarded themselves as being connected through the “National Cultural identity of Tamil”. He argued that no media organisation had the right to ridicule or politicise the grief associated with Mullivaikkal remembrance.
“No media has the rights to humiliate that feeling, and to turn our tears into political mockery”
He also accused some North Indian media outlets of applying double standards, noting that Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy are frequently identified specifically as "Tamil Nadu fishermen" rather than Indian fishermen. He claimed the same outlets were now attempting to portray Tamils as being opposed to India.
“It's an expression of fascist corporate mentality”
Beyond the controversy, Velmurugan criticised Indian television channels and national media for focusing excessively on political disputes while neglecting major issues affecting the public, including economic challenges, technological change, climate change, employment prospects for graduates, rising fuel and food prices, and growing corporate concentration of wealth.
He questioned why national media devoted limited attention to the impact of global conflicts on India's economy, the consequences of artificial intelligence for future employment, climate-related threats to agriculture and water security, and debates over how the union government interferes with the economic rights of the states.