Rahul Gandhi's "Tamil Culture" Jab Over Vijay Film, BJP's Jallikattu Reply

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has said that the Centre's attempt to block actor-politician Vijay's Jana Nayagan is an attack on Tamil culture. "The I&B Ministry's attempt to block 'Jana Nayagan' is an attack on Tamil culture. Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people," he said on X.

The I&B Ministry's attempt to block ‘Jana Nayagan' is an attack on Tamil culture.

Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 13, 2026

The BJP has responded by calling Gandhi a "shameless habitual liar and peddler of fakery". "It was Rahul Gandhi's Congress led UPA Govt which insulted the sentiment, culture and pride of Tamil people by demeaningly terming the revered Jallikattu as barbaric. The UPA Govt vehemently opposed Jallikattu, closely associated with the Pongal Festival, by issuing a notification, subsequently leading to the ban of Jallikattu," BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan said on X.

"Thanks to PM @narendramodi ji's continued support and committed efforts, the ban on Jallikattu was eventually lifted. Rahul Gandhi's comments about a movie that is now sub judice clearly exposes his dubious intent. His statement reveals the Congress party's dangerous and dictatorial emergency mindset which perilously prevails even today, always scheming to suppress and subjugate our independent democratic institutions," he added.

Rahul Gandhi is a shameless habitual liar and peddler of fakery. It was Rahul Gandhi's Congress led UPA Govt which insulted the sentiment, culture and pride of Tamil people by demeaningly terming the revered Jallikattu as barbaric. The UPA Govt vehemently opposed Jallikattu,… pic.twitter.com/Cc9YOxDvvY

— C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) January 13, 2026

Bringing up Emergency, Kesavan said, "Does Rahul Gandhi recall how during the autocratic Emergency of Indira Gandhi, how Shri. Kishore Kumar's songs were banned from All India Radio because he refused to bow down to the diktats of Indira Gandhi's son and that movies like Aandhi and Kissa Kursi Ka were banned. Does Rahul Gandhi remember how a Tamil movie Kutrapathrikkai, which dealt with the assassination of a former Prime Minister, was completed in 1992 when there was a Congress-led Central Govt, but was not allowed to be released for 15 years till 2007. Rahul Gandhi is blatantly lying to divert attention from the reality of how the DMK-Congres alliance, which is a completely divided house now, is completely collapsing under its own contradictions. The people of Tamil Nadu will reject and eject the opportunistic and evil DMK-Congress nexus in the upcoming elections."

Vijay recently launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Jana Nayagan has been publicised as his final film before an all-out leap into the political arena. It was scheduled for release on January 9.

The film was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on December 18. The committee that examined the film flagged several issues and recommended 27 cuts. The movie team made these cuts. On December 22, the committee recommended a U/A certificate, which means the film is suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, subject to parental guidance for children below twelve.

The committee, however, did not issue the certificate, and this delayed the release. On January 5, the CBFC, following a complaint, referred the film to a revising committee.

The film's makers responded by approaching the Madras High Court and seeking immediate certification. On January 9, a single-judge bench asked CBFC to grant the film the U/A certificate. Within hours, the CBFC appealed against the judgment and a division bench paused the single-judge bench's order. Jana Nayagan's makers have now challenged the division bench order in the Supreme Court.

Earlier, the DMK slammed the Centre and the ruling BJP for pausing clearance for the Vijay film. "The BJP is delaying the release of the movie Jana Nayagan with censorship objections. Normally, the censor process is completed within 2-3 days, but they are putting pressure. Actor Vijay has gone to court against this delay," DMK leader TKS Elangovan told ANI.