Political Vendetta, Allege Fans As IT Raid On Tamil Actor Vijay Who Criticised BJP Continues

An uneasy calm is prevailing in Tamil Nadu as supporters of actor Vijay are urging fans to maintain peace while the Income Tax raids on their hero continue.

The Income Tax Department began the raids on Wednesday and interrupted the shooting of Vijay's film in Neyveli from where he was picked up him for questioning in connection with searches on the premises of a big film producer and a film financier.

More than 20 premises of the producer were searched in and around Chennai.?

"Actor Vijay is being questioned in connection with an alleged tax evasion case linked to AGS Cinemas," said Income Tax officials. The AGS Cinemas had produced Vijay-starrer 'Bigil' last year.

PTI quoted official sources that Income Tax sleuths have made a raid at his residence in Chennai. A warrant was issued under the provisions of Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

According to reports, several documents indicating substantial tax evasion have been seized.?

But as the raids continue on 'ilayathalapathy' as he is called by fans, Vijay supports alleged political vendetta by the BJP.

BCCL

The Tamil Nadu BJP and Vijay had locked horns several times in the past few years, for what the party view as anti-Modi.

Some of his most recent movies, Bigil, Mersal, and Sarkar all had dialogues critical of GST, demonetization and Digital India. However, the most controversial was Mersal, in which the character played by Vijay asks “Why not we construct?hospitals?instead of temples?.

The Tamil Nadu BJP came out all guns blazing against the actor and alleged that Vijay of being anti-BJP because he's Christian.

BJP leader H Raja had posted the photo of the actor's ID card which showed his name as Joseph Vijay and said: "Truth is bitter".?

"Vijay is a practising Christian. He should have said build hospitals before churches, instead he says build hospitals before temples. It is like provoking Hindus," he had said.

Despite the BJP's protest and boycott of the film, Mersal was a runaway success and Vijay took a thank you note to his fans to break his silence on the controversy.

"Mersal has been highly successful but has faced some opposition. But my friends from the film industry, actors, directors, producers, the Nadigar Sangam, Film directors' association, the South Indian film artistes association, national leaders, the media, my fans, and friends have given a befitting reply to this opposition and supported Mersal," he said in a statement.

Incidentally, the statement had his full name, C. Joseph Vijay, written on the letterhead which also had another caption "Jesus Saves".

Fans extended their support with?#WeStandWithVIJAY

Some also pointed out that the IT Department had recently withdrawn three tax cases against actor Rajinikanth who was slapped with a penalty of ?66.21 lakh for allegedly concealing full particulars of income and providing inaccurate information.

On Wednesday, the actor-politician had extended support to CAA?saying it is not against Muslims and that they will not be affected by it.