Rajinikanth’s formal entry into public life will transform the politics of Tamil Nadu

Rajinikanth has finally announced his decision to enter politics. He is the latest entrant into the hurlyburly of politics from the Tamil film industry after M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa — all the three had ruled Tamil Nadu at different stages. While announcing his entry into politics, Rajini promised to practice “spiritual politics” that transcends religion and caste.

“Spiritual politics” is not new in Indian polity — seven to eight decades back Mahatma Gandhi, who fought a spirited but bloodless battle to secure independence from the British, gave a clarion call to all politicians to make spirituality the essence of their politics. But the difference between the two statements is while Mahatma Gandhi’s spiritual politics was truly philosophical, Rajinikanth’s is just a hollow concept. He might have said his “spiritual politics” would go beyond all religions, but he quoted verses only from the Bhagavad Gita, the Hindus’ holy book.

The term “spiritual politics” is already being used by the BJP to claim that Rajinikanth will challenge decades- old Dravidian politics and would make Hinduism an integral part of his yet- to- be launched party. Rajinikanth will be used by the BJP to implement its agenda in Tamil Nadu — the saffron party wants to destroy Dravidian politics and replace it with its communal agenda.

And the BJP may have found its man in Rajinikanth. His entry is dangerous because he would be playing into the hands of the BJP, which does not mince words in saying that it wants Hindu Rashtra. The actor knows that he will be rejected instantly if he had referred to Hindutva in his speech and hence he spoke of spiritual politics.

Rajinikanth has a cult image among his fans as he has been acting in films for the past 42 years. When film heroes take the plunge into politics, the politician becomes a star and the electorate his fans. In a democracy, according to B. R. Ambedkar, hero worship is demoralising for the devotee and dangerous for the country, and unfortunately Tamil Nadu has been witnessing a hysterical form of hero worship for the past many decades.

If one goes deep into his speech on December 31, Rajinikanth exhorted his supporters to start fan clubs in every village across the state. He introduced an app and asked his fans to register. His politics is not spiritual and not even democratic, it is the “politics of spectacle”. “The spectacle is the ruling order and nonstop discourse about itself, it’s never- ending monologue of self- praise and it’s selfportrait at the stage of totalitarian domination of all aspects of life”.

MGR used his films for his politics. But Rajinikanth is trying to convert politics into a film. In Tamil Nadu, where cinema is another form of religion, heroes want to be gods. The symbols and images cunningly used by Rajinikanth prove his wish. He is not a man for change and by avoiding social issues he indirectly supports the status quo.

The author is general secretary of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi ( VCK) and an anti- caste activist