Chennai:
Against the backdrop of strong observations by the Madras High Court on using children in political campaigns, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday sought to distinguish between recognising academic achievers and political outreach.
Honouring Class X and XII toppers at an event in Chennai, Vijay denied that the programme aimed to woo young voters or lay the groundwork for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The awards ceremony, which has been an annual tradition since 2023, saw students receive cash prizes and certificates for their academic achievements.
The Madras High Court had recently made strong observations about the use of children in TVK’s political campaigns, describing it as being in bad taste. The remarks had brought renewed scrutiny on the party’s engagement with children.
Against this backdrop, Vijay appeared keen to dispel any political interpretation of Wednesday’s event.
“I am not here as a Chief Minister. As usual, I am here as your brother,” he told the students. Anticipating speculation that he could be using the occasion to prepare for the 2029 elections, Vijay said there was no such intention.
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“Perhaps you think Vijay is preparing for 2029 now itself. But nothing of the sort. I am not here to speak politics and am not seeking votes either. At present, I don’t think you need politics and party. Study well, achieve more and reach heights,” he said.
Vijay also urged students to maintain mutual respect between boys and girls and stay away from bribery, corruption and drugs. He cautioned them against falling into addictive or harmful practices.
Responding to the High Court’s observations, TVK spokesperson M Sathya Kumar said the party was conscious of the court’s concerns and was taking precautions.
“The court observations are valid. We are abundantly cautious. We are consciously following the court order,” Kumar said.
He argued, however, that the party could not restrict children who voluntarily associated with it or participated in campaigning. Kumar said Vijay had been consistently recognising academic achievers for several years and wanted to continue the initiative as Chief Minister.
He added that the awards programme had begun on a humble scale nearly a decade ago and was subsequently expanded to constituency-level events as the party pursued its political ambitions.
