Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said here on Thursday that defamation cases would be filed against the media for publishing derogatory charges against her on the issue of Vishwaroopam.
Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister referred to reports that the ban on the movie was linked to ‘business interest’ and the allegation of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi that she had complained, in a letter, to M.G. Ramachandran about actor Kamal Haasan.
She described the charge concerning the ‘business interest’ as “wild and reckless” and the other as “one of the most ridiculous pieces of fiction and one of the absurd charges I have ever faced in my life.”
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Rebuttting the charge regarding the business interest in Jaya TV, she said other than the fact that it supported the AIADMK, the channel did not belong to her or to the party. She did not own any shares. She was not in anyway associated with the day-to-day administration of the channel. “I have nothing to do with Jaya TV.”
“To say that there was a demand that the film should be sold for a low price and because of that I am taking the action is a wild reckless charge against a responsible constitutional authority.”
On Mr. Karunanidhi’s allegation, she wondered why she should write to MGR “on such a trivial matter” when she was meeting him on a daily basis.
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Ms. Jayalalithaa also denied that she had a personal grudge against Kamal Haasan for having made a speech at a function that a dhoti-clad Tamil should become the Prime Minister.
“Why should I take offence at such a statement?” she asked.
“I have not done anything to stall the movies produced by [Mr.] Karunanidhi’s family members. So why should I do it in the case of Kamal Haasan?” the Chief Minister wondered.
Mr. Karunanidhi claimed to have proof to defend his statement that Ms. Jayalalithaa had indeed written to MGR complaining against Mr. Haasan. He was ready to produce the proof in court, he added.