Fatwa issued against actor Vijay over controversial iftar party

NEW DELHI: All India Muslim Jamat on Wednesday issued a fatwa against actor and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam president Vijay and asked the Muslims not to stand with him.

AIMJ president Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said that the fatwa was issued because Vijay negatively portrayed the Muslims and invited gamblers and liquor consumers to his iftar party.

"He has formed a political party and maintained cordial relations with Muslims. However, he has portrayed Muslims in a negative way as those who spread terrorism in his films," Rizvi said.

"In his Iftar party, gamblers and liquor consumers were invited. Due to all this, Sunni Muslims of Tamil Nadu are angry with him. They asked for a fatwa. So, in my answer, I have issued a fatwa mentioning that Muslims should not stand with Vijay," he added.

This comes over a month after a controversy erupted after rivals alleged that TVK sought Y-security for Vijay by the Centre as they feared the actor faced "threats from Muslims".

"Vijay showed Muslims in poor light in his films 'Kathi' and 'Beast'. So, Vijay and TVK felt that the actor might face threats from Muslims and sought protection from home ministry," VCK spokesman Vanniarasu had said.

TVK and ally Tamil Nadu Muslim League, however, refuted the charges and said that it was a ploy by DMK and its allies to alienate Muslims from TVK.