Mustafa sees Amaran’s Pak terror portrayal through anti-Muslim prism: TN BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran

CHENNAI: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Sunday criticised TVK MLA from Madurai Central, S Madhar Badhurudeen alias Mustafa, over his remarks on the film Amaran, questioning his objection to the portrayal of terrorists in the movie and urging TVK president and CM C Joseph Vijay to clarify whether the MLA’s views reflected the party’s position.

Nainar said Badhurudeen’s attempt to portray Amaran, based on the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, as being against a particular community was condemnable.

“If a film tells the true story of Pakistani terrorists, how does it amount to insulting Muslims? Why does Madhar Badhurudeen object to a terrorist being punished? Should an Indian citizen feel sympathy for terrorists killed by security forces? Is your sympathy for the Indian Army or terrorists crossing the border?” he asked in a statement.

Referring to Badhurudeen’s claim that scenes involving terrorists were removed from Vijay-starrer Thuppakki, Nainar said the MLA’s remarks could disturb communal harmony. He urged CM Vijay to condemn them, warning that otherwise people would view them as reflecting TVK’s official position.

The controversy started with Mustafa's remarks terming DMK anti-Muslims in the Assembly, with the opposition party sharing old videos of the present TVK member hitting out at CM Vijay for portraying Muslims as terrorists in Thuppakki and Beast movies. In an attempt to hit back at the DMK, Mustafa questioned why Udhayanidhi's Red Giant Movies distributed the movie Amaran, which he said depicted Muslims as terrorists.

BJP state secretary Vinoj P Selvam joined the issue and questioned Mustafa’s objections to the depiction of terrorism in Amaran. “What is his problem with depicting terrorism in Kashmir and the brutality of terrorists? How does he want terrorists to be portrayed—as aliens?” Vinoj Selvam asked.

He also sought CM Vijay’s response to Badhurudeen’s claims that scenes considered anti-Muslim were removed from Thuppakki and Vishwaroopam, asking whether the actors concerned really acted against Muslims in the films or just yielded to pressure.