Superstar Vijay faced the biggest problem as soon as he became CM, the government’s chair was shaken in just 50 days.

In the politics of Tamil Nadu, not even two months have passed since the government of actor-turned-Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was formed, but so soon the government has become embroiled in two such big controversies which have given a big issue to the opposition.

Within a few days of the formation of the government, there was a huge political uproar in the state over the tragic incident of rape of a minor girl. The government had not even recovered from the crisis that now a new storm has arisen after an old video of Vijay government’s Human Resource Management Minister D. Sharat Kumar surfaced. These two back-to-back incidents have raised serious question marks on the law and order situation of the state, the credibility of the government and its political message.

500 note, ATM card and white powder… what is the truth of that viral video?

This latest controversy is related to a two-year-old video of Minister D. Sharath Kumar, which is going viral like wildfire on social media recently. In the video, Sharath Kumar is seen rubbing and collecting a white powder-like substance from the ATM card on his mobile screen during an IPL match. A note of Rs 500 is also visible with him. As soon as this video came on the internet, people on social media started claiming that the minister was openly using drugs.

However, seeing the growing controversy, Minister Sharat Kumar has rejected these allegations outright. In his defense, he said that it was not a drug, but a medicine pill for his sick daughter. He was making powder by grinding it with card so that the girl could eat it easily. Taking aim at the opposition, he alleged that the video was being presented in a very misleading manner by taking it out of its full context.

DMK took to the streets, police arrested the protesters

Even though the minister has given clarification from his side, the opposition party DMK is not at all ready to accept this explanation. The DMK has refused to accept this as just a social media controversy and has directly turned it into a major political issue. On Monday, DMK held violent protests across the state against this video. Despite not getting permission from the police in Chennai, the workers protested heavily by blocking the road, after which the police took action and detained more than 50 protesters.

DMK’s direct allegation is that when on one hand the state government itself is running an anti-drug campaign like ‘Start Run, Stop Drugs’, then the emergence of such a suspicious video of their own cabinet minister exposes the morality of the government. The opposition says that until an impartial investigation is conducted into this entire matter, the minister has no moral right to continue in his post.

This is the second big blow to the government after the rape case of a minor.

This new video controversy has come to light at a time when Chief Minister Vijay’s government was already on the back foot over the rape case of a minor girl. That incident shook the entire Tamil Nadu to its core. There were candle marches and demonstrations across the state regarding the case and serious questions were raised on the working style of the police.

The opposition had then alleged that the police were lax in initial action and tried to suppress the case. Chief Minister Vijay was also criticized among the public for the transparency of the investigation and administrative accountability. From social media to every political platform, the same question is being echoed whether the new government is proving to be a complete failure in handling law and order?

Superstar Vijay’s ‘clean politics’ image at stake

Thalapathy Vijay, who entered politics from the cinema screen, had always described himself as the face of clean, honest and new thinking politics. During the assembly election campaign, he had promised to eradicate corruption, drug addiction and crime from the state. As soon as he assumed the chair, he also started a big public awareness campaign against drugs. In such a situation, their most important minister being accused of drugs is creating a very uncomfortable situation for the credibility of the government.

However, it is a matter of relief that no official investigating agency has yet confirmed that the white powder seen in the video was actually drugs. At present the entire controversy is revolving only around the timing of that video and the minister’s explanation. Despite this, political pressure on the government is continuously increasing. A woman lawyer has filed a written complaint with the Chennai Police Commissioner demanding legal action against the minister, while other opposition parties including DMDK are also continuously attacking the government.

First big test of crisis management in front of Vijay government

If seen from a political perspective, this controversy is no longer limited to just one minister. This is the first and biggest test of Chief Minister Vijay’s crisis management ability. If the government stands firmly in favor of its minister, the opposition will continue to attack it as a defeat of morality. At the same time, if Vijay takes any strict step and removes the minister, then it can be a very difficult and harmful decision politically for his new government.

The Vijay government, which came to the throne of Tamil Nadu about 50 days ago, is still in its initial phase. In such a situation, these two big storms that came within just two months have shaken the foundation of the government. How the Chief Minister handles this entire matter in the coming days, whether he orders a high-level investigation into this video or dismisses these allegations of the opposition as just a political attack, now the eyes of the entire country are fixed on this.