Vishal Krishna Mourns The Death Of  Democracy

Tamil actor Vishal Krishna can’t get over the shock of his nomination papers  for the bypollsin Chennai being rejected.

Shuddering in disbelief and disgust the intrepid actor who has now decided to take  a headlong plunge into politics says, “What we are witnessing  is  the systematic and effectual death of democracy in our country. Every democratic norm is being reduced to a  mockery.”

 Vishal, it must be recalled, had stood up to support his  friend superstar Vijay when the latter’s film Mersal was attacked by certain sections of  the BJP supporters.

“That is when I  decided  more of  us from the entertainment industry need  to jump into the  cesspool rather than making noises about the filth from the sidelines,” says Vishal, probably referring to Kamal Haasan who after his hefty hullabaloo over  political corruption in TamilNadu has taken a “thoughtful break” from his initiation  into politicization .

“We can’t afford to  pull back and wait for change in the political system.We have to be the change. That’s why I decided to contest the bypoll elections from  Radha Krishna Nagarwhere neither a counselor nor a ward has been installed  since the last elections. The civic infrastructure stinks. If we don’t take charge of  the politics  at the municipal level how can we  even begin the process of cleaning up the political mess in Tamil Nadu?” wonders Vishal.

 To  his shock his election papers were rejected.

“An entire soap opera was played out on  Tuesday. First my  papers were rejected on the absurd ground that two of  the signatures were forged .I thought this was  the height of  absurdity .But then it got even more ludicrous. I was told it’s okay and that my nomination has been accepted, Then again I was told my nomination was rejected.”

 Vishal says the seesaw between  yes and no would have been highly flattering if it was not so scary. “The fact that I am seen as such a threat to the status quo is very flattering . However the seeming attempts  to  sabotage my tentative foray  onto active politics also indicates a subversion  of all democratic  norms.And that’s  frightening.”

The  actor last seen playing Mohanlal’s  adversary   in  the Malayalam crime thriller Villainsees democratic  norms being flouted all around us. “We are going through the most difficult phase in Indian democracy, and not only in Tamil Nadu.If people  like me who have nothing to gain except a retrieval of democratic  values, don’t come forward now,then we are doomed.”

 Vishal is not scared  of his film career being affected by his politics. “If you mean the forces that  tried to sabotage  my nominations would obstruct my career, I don’t think they would be able to. They would be  foolish to try. If you mean I’d be able to devote less time to my film career if I take to active politics, then that’s a compromise I am willing to make.”