Actor Vijay's TVK Party Organizes Hunger Strike Against Sri Lankan Navy's Arrest of Tamil Nadu Fishermen Following Karur Tragedy

Chennai:

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has scheduled its first major political demonstration following the tragic Karur stampede that resulted in 41 fatalities. The party will conduct a hunger strike in Nagapattinam on Friday to protest the ongoing arrests of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry fishermen by Sri Lankan naval forces.

According to the party's official statement, TVK Deputy General Secretary Raj Mohan will lead the protest alongside district secretary Sukumaran.

TVK has directed criticism at both the Central government and Tamil Nadu state administration for their perceived failure to establish a lasting solution to the persistent issue of arrests and harassment experienced by Indian fishermen at sea. The party contends that this governmental inaction has created significant distress among coastal fishing communities.

The matter has become increasingly urgent following the Sri Lankan Navy's recent detention of 35 Tamil Nadu fishermen for alleged territorial violations. This incident prompted Chief Minister MK Stalin to correspond with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, requesting immediate diplomatic intervention. Historical records indicate nearly 800 Indians have lost their lives to Lankan forces over the past four decades.

Nagapattinam holds particular political importance for TVK founder and actor Vijay. In 2011, under his previous organization Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, he organized a substantial public gathering in this same location to condemn attacks on Indian fishermen. That event was widely interpreted as signaling his eventual political ambitions. At that time, Vijay criticized both the Prime Minister and Chief Minister for being "mute spectators" to the fishermen's plight.

Friday's demonstration marks Vijay's political return to this emotionally significant location - now as the leader of an officially registered political party.

This protest follows just one day after TVK's special General Council meeting, during which the party authorized Vijay to determine electoral alliances for the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. In his address, Vijay sharply criticized the DMK while notably remaining silent regarding the AIADMK and BJP. Although the resolution made mild references to the Central government's role in the fishermen issue, the planned protest is viewed as a more direct and forceful message to New Delhi.

Despite the ongoing CBI investigation into the Karur stampede, TVK's hunger strike indicates the party's unwillingness to moderate its position against the BJP-led Union government. Vijay has previously characterized the BJP as his "ideological enemy" and the DMK as his "political enemy."

While some advocate for reclaiming Katchatheevu island, which India previously ceded to Sri Lanka, as a potential solution, others propose establishing a long-term lease agreement with Sri Lanka, citing diminishing fish populations in Indian waters.