AIADMK Misuses Anitha Videos for Political Ad, Kin to File Plaint

Mafoi Pandiarajan tweeted a video of Anitha’s interviews with a VO that makes it look like she is supporting AIADMK.

In the video, tweeted by Mafoi Pandiarajan, Anitha’s interviews have been used with a voiceover to make it look like she is speaking in favour of AIADMK.

(Photo: Screenshot of the video uploaded and later deleted by AIADMK)

The brother of deceased NEET aspirant Anitha from Ariyalur district, Maniratnam, will file a complaint against the state's Tamil Language and Culture Minister Mafoi Pandiarajan on Sunday, 4 April.

Maniratnam decided to approach the police after the minister shared a video on his Twitter handle where Anitha’s videos have been manipulated and used to oppose the DMK and blame them for her death. Following criticism under the post, he later deleted it.

In the video, which is a compilation of news snippets from various Tamil channels, a voiceover made to sound like Anitha, says that over 400 students from underprivileged families were studying medicine and that it was Jayalalithaa's government that had ensured this. The voice then goes on to say that instead of doing positive things, the DMK is killing 'us' for its vested political motives. The voice then says that the sun had set for 17 students, in an apparent reference to the DMK's rising sun symbol, and warns viewers to “not forget or forgive what the DMK did”.

Speaking to TNM, Maniratnam pointed out that this was a huge insult to the 17-year-old who died by suicide in 2017.

"He can't morph her voice to further his political motives. It is like they are insulting her death. She died because of their decisions, but now they are making it look like she is supporting them," he said. "If the minister had spoken over the video, it would have been fine. But how can they make it look like Anitha spoke?" he asked.

Maniratnam points out that the AIADMK has been using NEET and Anitha as part of their election propaganda.

"We have no objection to anyone using what happened to her for politics. They have the right to discuss this and give their versions. But to mimic her voice is a new low and not at all acceptable," he says.

(This story was first published on The News Minute and has been republished in an arrangement.)