By IANS,
Chennai : Kayaar and A.M. Rathinam, two film producers based here but who have Telugu as their mother tongue, have alleged that the state’s ruling party DMK is attempting to control the Tamil Film Producers Council by keeping non-Tamils out of a forthcoming poll contest.
Kayaar and Rathinam say that Sun TV backed candidate Raadhika Sarath Kumar, who heads a body of TV producers, was planning to contest for the presidentship of Tamil Film Producers Council, but a change of rules made her ineligible for the nominations.
It is not clear whether Kumar will quit her existing post to contest the polls.
Kayaar and Rathinam – who themselves produce films in a number of languages, including Tamil and Telugu – are supported by the opposition party AIADMK.
Rama Narayanan, president of the council, reportedly introduced two rules to make Kumar ineligible.
According to the new rules, members of management committees of other film-related or TV-related associations and unions are not eligible to contest for the post of the management committee of the council and people with Tamil as mother tongue alone can contest for the six positions, including the presidentship in the management committee.
“By introducing a new law wherein persons of non-Tamil origin and office-bearers of other media trade bodies cannot contest the polls, Narayanan is forcing a virtual zero-contest,” Kayaar and Rathinam told reporters.
Narayanan, however, maintained that the body was well within its powers to amend the by-law since it was done before elections were announced last week.
Sun TV promoters Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi Maran, estranged grandnephews of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, were not available for comment.
Sources from the channel, however, said that by contesting for the council president’s post, it was only attempting to safeguard its future by ensuring a steady supply of film software. The ruling party is reportedly hindering the supply chain now.