Minorities won't believe Vijay — he was silent during CAA, 370, triple talaq: Salma

New Indian Express

26-07-2025

Q: There's often a distinction made between mainstream literature and Dravidian literature. Some even dismiss Dravidian literature as not being 'real literature' — reducing it to something merely used for political campaigning. How do you respond to such opinions, and how do you view the literary value of Dravidian literature?
We can't define literature in rigid terms and say, 'this alone is literature'. In earlier times, only Sanskrit literature was seen as 'true literature.' But it wasn't something a common person could understand — it spoke to and for only a certain elite section of society. What about the rest? Their experiences were excluded. This gap was bridged by leaders like Kalaignar Karunanidhi and Perarignar Anna.
Their works were powerful because they could be understood by the common man. And to me, that is the true purpose of literature — it must reach people, it must speak to them. Kalaignar's writing spanned across poetry, short stories, novels, even screenplays for films. And he had a strong, devoted readership who admired and connected with his work deeply.
Today, literature is more inclusive than ever. Writers like Ramanichandran and Jayakanthan have their own dedicated readers. Each writer has a unique voice, a distinct way of telling stories. And each one has an audience that values that expression. That is the beauty of literature.
The real problem is when we try to define literature by ranking it — saying, 'this is the best,' or worse, 'this doesn't even qualify as literature'. Who decides that? Every writer brings something different to the table, and that diversity is what makes literature meaningful and alive.
Q: As a Member of the Rajya Sabha, what is your primary goal or focus? What do you hope to achieve through your role in Parliament?
I come from a party that has always stood firmly for the ideals of social justice. At the heart of our ideology is the belief that everyone in this society should be treated equally, regardless of their caste, religion, gender, or background.
To my knowledge, I am the only woman from the Muslim community in the entire country who is going to take charge as a Member of the Rajya Sabha. This, in itself, speaks volumes about the vision and progressive mindset of our party president and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. K. Stalin. I am deeply grateful to him for giving me this opportunity.
As an MP, I will faithfully represent the voice and principles of my party in Parliament. It's a responsibility I carry with pride and commitment.
Q: Kamala Surayya was known for her bold and explicit writing — even at a time when such topics were taboo. Today, we see many writers exploring similar themes, but often under the label of 'queer literature' or through anonymous platforms. Do you think it's anonymity that gives writers the courage to write openly about these subjects?
I've been considering writing a novel that deals with certain sensitive topics. And while thinking about it, the idea of using a different name and going anonymous crossed my mind. There's a certain courage that anonymity offers. When you write under your real name, people who know you tend to judge or misunderstand you based on the content, regardless of the intention behind it.
A few years before the death of Kamala Surayya, I had the opportunity to visit her in Kerala, thanks to a friend. She was under police protection in her own home. During our conversation, she said something that stayed with me: 'Writers write to sense freedom, but my writing has curbed my freedom.' She also said she felt lonely — that she couldn't see or find people like her anymore. That sense of isolation weighed on her deeply.
We've all witnessed how writers around the world have been arrested for their writing. So, this fear isn't abstract; it's real and close.
Q: When it comes to literature, we rarely see Tamil writers coming together as a collective or voicing concerns as a united front unlike in Karnataka and Kerala. Why do you think such solidarity is missing in Tamil Nadu? Also, when it comes to literary recognition, Tamil writers don't seem to receive the higher-ranking national awards as often as writers from Kerala. What could be the reason behind this disparity?
There is politics in groups here that stretches beyond political parties. When Kaaval Kottam by Su. Venkatesan got the Sahitya Akademi Award, one group wrote against it. If there is a voice against my literature, especially from conservatives, shouldn't there be collective opposition from writers? They don't need to support me — they could defend literature. Jealousy runs high in Tamil. No one uplifts the other. In Malayalam, at least when I look from the outside, though there is some talking behind the back, it looks positive. Here, there is no such unity.
Q: Does it have to do with not getting much recognition?
Even for my novels, sometimes I feel bad knowing that the original in Tamil would not receive an award. But they gave the award for the Marathi translation, which can only do half the justice to the original. There is no logic in this. But I don't know how to lobby.
Q: You have contributed to the literature through short stories, novels, and poems. What do you think is the essence of your contribution?
I can only say that the essence of all my literature is humanity. I see literature as the basis of loving fellow humans. We read so much literature and stories. The pain from reading the sadness or love of others is only possible through literature.
Q: In Tamil Nadu, there were only two political sides — DMK and AIADMK. Now Vijay has started a political party. Generally, minorities vote for the DMK alliance. Now there is talk that Vijay will lure minorities, especially youngsters. His speeches also mainly target minority votes. Is there any chance he gets the votes?
Minorities always vote for the DMK. The pattern has changed only once, that I know of. Because no one can forget the 3.5% reservation (for Muslims and Christians) introduced by Kalaignar. This helped them to get employment and education.
He is standing alone to target minority votes; he knows it won't happen if he is with the AIADMK-BJP alliance. We don't know who is behind him contesting alone. But minorities won't believe him. You should have done something before, and they must believe you will do something for them again.
The CAA protests turned the country upside down. If he has true concern for the minorities, he could have spoken in favour of them. Even recently, there were several atrocities against Muslims in North India. But he has not spoken against anything. He has not spoken when Triple Talaq or abrogation of Article 370 became issues. Suddenly, if he says he will save Muslims, it is not believable. The BJP is responsible for all these atrocities. At least he should criticise the BJP, but that is also not happening. He is only targeting the DMK. So, minorities won't believe him.
I think only 5,000 people came for the protest in Chennai (against custodial violence). Minorities will think about who has done things for them. They won't support an actor. In many movies, he has also depicted Muslims badly, showing Muslims as terrorists. These will blow up during the elections.
(On the other hand), MGR (late AIADMK founder and CM M.G. Ramachandran) was part of the DMK; he went to the field with cadres. (Late CM) J. Jayalalithaa took over AIADMK — she didn't start a separate party and come on her own to capture power. As far as Vijay is concerned, if we take field-level politics, he is not out there yet. You can't identify a leader without him coming to the field. I agree that Vijayakant (late DMDK founder) is one actor who people voted for. But that has ended.