Seeman (politician)

Senthamizhan Seeman (born 8 November 1966)[2][3][4] is an Indian politician, Tamil Nationalist ideologue and the chief-coordinator of the political party Naam Tamilar Katchi in Tamil Nadu. He is an advocate of the creation of vote bank for Tamils.[5] Prior to his involvement in politics, Seeman worked as a filmmaker and actor.

Seeman
Chief-coordinator of Naam Tamilar Katchi
Personal details
Born
Senthamizhan Seeman

(1966-11-08) 8 November 1966[1]
Aranaiyur, Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu, India[1]
Political partyNaam Tamilar Katchi
Spouse(s)Kayalvizhi (m.2013)[1]
ResidenceChennai, Tamil Nadu, India
OccupationFilm director, actor, Tamil nationalist, politician
Websitewww.naamtamilar.org

Personal life

Seeman was born in Aranaiyur, Tamil Nadu to Senthamizhan and Annammal Senthamizhan.[1] He married Kayalvizhi, daughter of K. Kalimuthu (former Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the AIADMK party)[6] in September 2013 in the presence of Pazha Nedumaran and others. The ceremony was held according to Tamil traditions at the YMCA grounds in Nandanam, Chennai.[7]

Film career

Seeman took up film direction as a career after being inspired by the films of his mentor, Bharathi Raja and the work of Manivannan. Seeman started his career by directing Panchalankurichi, a village action film starring Prabhu and Madhubala.[8]

In 2006, he had a come back with a successful film Thambi with actor Madhavan.[9]

Politics and activism

Seeman received threat letters for supporting Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.[10] He is a follower of the LTTE founder and leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

He was detained twice under the National Security Act first for speaking in favour of the LTTE and again for protesting the killing of a Tamil fisherman by the Sri Lankan Navy.[11][12]

Seeman along with several other Tamil activists gathered on 18 May 2009, coinciding the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War at Madurai to form the Naam Tamilar Iyakkam, as a social outfit.[13] It subsequently turned into a political party named Naam Tamilar Katchi.[14]

2011 anti-Congress campaigning

Upon his release from a five-month detention at the Vellore prison, Seeman actively campaigned for the defeat of the Congress party in the State Assembly elections for their role in the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.[15][16]

He was neutral on MDMK and DMK while extended support to AIADMK.[17][18] Seeman campaigned in 59 of the 63 places the Congress party were contesting, and the party were defeated in all of those constituencies except for one.[18][19][20]

Political activism (2011–2019)

Since the 2011 Assembly elections, Seeman and his party have been actively involved in various causes such as the anti-nuclear Power plant protests in Kudankulam[21][22] or the attacks on Tamil fishermen perpetuated by the Sri Lankan Navy[23] that has claimed the lives of over 800[24] fishermen.

During the parliamentary elections in 2014, Seeman has stated that the Naam Tamilar Katchi would campaign for the defeat of the candidates fielded by the Congress, BJP and the DMDK where they are contesting and will support ADMK[17] .

In February 2015, the party conceived Veera Thamizhar Munnani, aimed at reviving and recovering age-old Tamil culture and traditions.[25]

In September 2016, Seeman was among some 176 people arrested after "attempting to lay siege to Srivaikuntam dam, where desilting works [were] under way as per a directive from the National Green Tribunal".[26]

2016 Tamil Nadu assembly elections

Naam Tamilar Katchi contested in the 2016 assembly election.[27] The party contested in all the 234 assembly constituencies on its own, in the elections Tamil Nadu and as well as those in Puducherry.[28] The election symbol allocated for the party was twin candles. Seeman introduced his candidates in Cuddalore in February 2016. He lost the deposit and got the lowest vote among all the other candidates. He declared that he will contest as the Chief Ministerial candidate from the Cuddalore constituency.[27]

NTK, in the 2016 TN General Assembly election, failed to win a single seat.[29]

2019 Indian general elections

Naam Tamilar Katchi contested in all the 39 constituencies present in Tamil Nadu.[30] NTK lost deposits in all constituencies.[31] NTK faired well in rural areas when compared to urban areas.[32]

Ethnic purism and other Controversies

Call for restarting Srilankan Civil war

In November 2009, while on a speaking tour in Canada, Seeman was arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency for giving a hate-filled incendiary speech at an event in Toronto. In the speech, he called for restarting the civil war in Sri Lanka, and allegedly said "No Sinhala can live," going on to state that the LTTE should have bombed 100 Sinhala schools for every Tamil school which was attacked.[33]

Glorification of Rajiv Gandhi assassination

While Campaigning for Vikravandi assembly by-election he declared that We (Tamils) proudly declare that we killed our enemy (Rajiv Gandhi) for he had sent Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Eelam that killed innumerous Tamils. This speech raised criticism from people of various political spectrum. Following this event many charges were booked against him by the police. However Seeman downplayed these charges[34][35][36]

Ethnic Purism

The most controversial aspect of Seeman and his political party is that of Ethnic purism arbirtarily based on caste lines. He claims decline of Tamil people is due to continuous rule of Tamilnadu by 'Vandheris' ( refers to outsiders or non tamils especially Telugus based on caste and history of immigration ) and only hope for Tamils is to elect "Real Tamilian" to power. He has not shied away in the past to use image of Hitler in his party banners often quoting him to justify his stand on Ethnic purism[37]. This led to outcry of linguistic minorities accusing him of racism, promotion ethnic purity and spreading of hatred based on caste.

Romanticization of Criminals and Menial Jobs

He is also criticised for calling Veerapan as 'forest protector' and for his claim that if he becomes the chief minister he would declare goat herding, agricultural labour and other menial jobs in rural areas as 'Government jobs' and salary would be paid by government exchequer. Similar claims include referring to Palmyra toddy as healthy beverage and that he would announce it as a national beverage.[38]

References
  1. "Seeman Profile". OneIndia. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  2. Nath, Akshaya (16 October 2019). "Vellore: Congress burns effigy of leader who justified Rajiv Gandhi's killing in election speech". India Today. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  3. Yamunan, Sruthisagar. "Why many believe Rajinikanth has become the BJP's loudspeaker in Tamil Nadu". Scroll.in. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  4. "How the Hindu Munnani Seized Vinayaga Chaturthi to Spew Venom". The Wire. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  5. "Seeman calls for vote bank to protect Tamils". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  6. Sundar, S. (18 March 2004). "Caste takes centre stage". The Hindu.
  7. "Seeman ties the knot". OneIndia Tamil. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  8. Panchalanguruchi (1996). cinesouth.com
  9. "Movie Review : Vazhthukkal". Sify. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  10. "Seeman receives threat letter". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  11. "Seeman's remand extended". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  12. "National Security Act slapped on Seeman". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  13. "ஆய்வுகள்" (in Tamil). Tamilkathir. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  14. Gopal Ethiraj from Chennai (15 April 2010). "Seeman to convert his 'Naam Tamilar' into political party". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  15. "Naam Tamilar Katchi to work for defeat of Cong in TN, IBN Live News". CNN-IBN. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  16. "Seeman changes tune, targets Congress". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  17. "NTK Neutral on Vaiko, to Back Jaya". Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  18. Sundar, Sidharth Goutham. "Seeman effect on Congress Party". TruthDive. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  19. "Seeman tears into Congress". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  20. "Charges a Bid to Ruin Seeman's Image". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  21. "Kudankulam". Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  22. Madurai bureau (16 September 2012). "Fishermen fast goes on for fifth day". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  23. "Sathiyam News Agency – CPI would be made political orphans in TN". Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  24. "DMK, AIADMK target govt on Indian fishermen's arrest in Sri Lanka". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  25. "Seeman floats youth wing". The Hindu. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  26. "Nallakannu, Seeman arrested near Srivaikuntam reservoir". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  27. "Seeman Sets Campaign Ball Rolling in Cuddalore, Meets Voters". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  28. "One, Two, Three, Four And More CM Aspirants in TN". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  29. "General Election to Legislative Assembly Trends & Results 2016". Election Commission of India.
  30. "Lok Sabha elections 2019: Here are the candidates fighting under Seeman's Naam Tamilar Katchi in Tamil Nadu". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  31. Jesudasan, Dennis S. (25 May 2019). "Candidates of AMMK, MNM, NTK lose deposit in all LS constituencies". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  32. Naig, Udhav (24 May 2019). "MNM fares well in urban pockets, NTK in rural areas". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  33. B. MURALIDHAR REDDY (27 November 2009). "Director Seeman arrested and deported from Canada". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  34. Tamilarasu, Prabhakar (14 October 2019). "Seeman stirs up a hornet's nest by glorifying Rajiv Gandhi killers". The Federal. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  35. "NTK leader Seeman 'justifies' Rajiv Gandhi's killing, booked by police as Congress seeks action". The Indian Express. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  36. Correspondent, Special (15 October 2019). "Seeman booked for hailing Rajiv Gandhi's assassination". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  37. Yamunan, Sruthisagar. "In Tamil Nadu, an ultra nationalist politician who often invokes Adolf Hitler is gaining support". Scroll.in. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  38. "Super Kings in Tamil Nadu politics: Promises in search of mythical glory". Zee News. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.

See also


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