Tamil Nadu child rights forum condemns Vijay, urges an apology for involving children in election campaign

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu child rights activists and members of TN Child Rights Watch (TNCRW) had strongly condemned C Joseph Vijay, an actor turned politician, for his conduct endangering children during the election campaign and engaging in a disturbing pattern of political messaging associated with his party.

TNCRW called the conduct fostering coercive, emotionally harmful, and potentially dangerous behaviour among children.

TNCRW had demanded Vijay, president of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), for an immediate public apology and removal of harmful content online and corrective action.

Additionally, highlighting multiple other behaviours, TNCRW had placed its complaint to Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik and Tamil Nadu Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR).

In a letter to Vijay, TNCRW wrote,"A series of widely circulated videos show children being encouraged, conditioned, and normalised into emotionally coercive roles—pressuring parents to vote for your party symbol 'Whistle,” crying, refusing food, and in some cases expressing extreme and alarming threats within their families. These developments indicate not isolated incidents but a systemic pattern of harmful engagement of children.”

The letter also mentioned that campaign messaging has triggered distress, rigidity, and unhealthy behavioural responses among children, including refusal to eat and heightened emotional volatility, leading to tension within families.

Hence, TNCRW had urged Vijay to render a public apology, direct TVK caders and Vijay himself to strictly refrain from involving children, immediate removal of all existing content involving children from social media platforms, including official and affiliated party pages, and cooperating with child protection and legal authorities to address instances where children have been placed at risk, among others.

Additionally, TNCRW had written to the State Election Commission, stressing the violation of ECI guidelines, such as the use of children in any form of political campaigning or propaganda and the involvement of children in influencing the voting behaviour of electors.

TNCRW also highlighted that such practices raise serious concerns under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, particularly Section 75 (Punishment for cruelty to a child, including mental and emotional harm) and Section 83 (Use of a child for exploitative or unlawful purposes).

The members have urged the Commission for immediate inquiry, initiate action under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), enforce the prohibition on use of children in election-related activities as per ECI guidelines, invoke provisions under the JJ Act, and issue urgent directions to all political parties to refrain from involving children in any form of campaigning.