TN CM Vijay Says Assembly Jaw Gesture Was Unintentional

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has addressed the controversy surrounding his recent body language in the State Assembly, stating that the gesture was completely unintentional. His clarification came on Tuesday, a day after a video of his September 7 speech went viral on social media.

During his address, which focused on alleged corruption by the opposition DMK, Vijay was seen holding his jaw with one hand in a manner that suggested he was lifting it. The visual sparked widespread speculation online, with some users interpreting it as a deliberate mockery of DMK president MK Stalin.

This interpretation was linked to historical claims that Stalin had suffered a jaw fracture while imprisoned during the Emergency period (1975-1977). However, the wire copy notes that there is no confirmed evidence that such an injury actually occurred.

Addressing the matter, Vijay said his body language was an involuntary expression. He added that it was not intentional in any way and requested that it not be interpreted as an act meant to hurt anyone's feelings on a personal level.

The Chief Minister's original remarks in the Assembly were based on official Enforcement Directorate (ED) documents and the Sarkaria Commission report from the 1970s. While the content of his speech was directed at the opposition, it was his physical gesture that became the primary point of discussion on social media platforms.