Don't 'Demon-etise' Tamil Pride, Rahul Gandhi Attacks Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Mersal Row

New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday jumped into the Mersal controversy and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to not try and "demon-etise" Tamil pride.

"Mr. Modi, Cinema is a deep expression of Tamil culture and language. Don't try to demon-etise Tamil pride by interfering in Mersal (sic)," tweeted the soon-to-be party president.

Meanwhile, sources have told News18 that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting won't interfere with the film as it has been cleared by the censor board.

"It is the prerogative of the state government what it wants to do. No one can take the law into their hands. The Centre doesn't interfere after a film has gone through the censor board," said the source.

Earlier in the day, superstar Kamal Haasan has come out in support of Vijay-starrer ‘Mersal’, which has been facing opposition over references to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Haasan said those opposed to the film must “counter criticism with a logical response”.

“Mersal was certified. Don't re-censor it," the actor said on Twitter.

"Counter criticism with a logical response. Don't silence critics. India will shine when it speaks," he added.

References to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 'Mersal' have not gone down well with the BJP. The party objected to what it termed "untruths" about the central taxation regime in the film and demanded that the references be deleted.

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan demanded the removal of the "untruths" about the GST, rolled out by the BJP-led NDA government on July 1, while his party colleague H Raja claimed the film exposed Vijay's "anti-Modi hatred".

"The film producer should remove the untruths regarding the GST from the film," Radhakrishnan told reporters in Nagercoil.

His remarks came a day after the BJP's state unit made a similar demand, charging the filmmakers with making "incorrect references" about the central taxation regime.