Actor Vijay: India can become a superpower later, let her care for her farmers first

Actor Vijay's speech at a recent awards ceremony on the sad plight of farmers has caught the attention of those in the film and political circles of Tamil Nadu.

The usually reticient Vijay, while participating in an awards function organised by a website, said, "You wish that I should do well and I wish that you should do well. But the people who wish all of us well aren't doing well. I am talking about farmers. I feel pained when I think about our farmers, who are toiling without any returns for their hardwork."

The actor went on to add, "We rate food as the most important even among the basic necessities of life namely food, clothing and shelter. But the farmers who give us our food..."
 
"I think we don't think about our farmers because our hunger is easily satiated. I think we will understand the situation only when there comes a time when even if we pay money, we will find nothing to eat. The solution to this issue is not only necessary, it is also something that must be found on an urgent basis," the actor said.

He continued, "Already the food that we get is unhealthy. If we don't awaken now, our next generation will not even get this. No businessman or manufacturer goes to another shop to buy the goods he sells. For instance, a gold shop owner does not go to another gold shop to buy gold. A textile manufacturer does not go to another textile manufacturer to buy clothes. It is only farmers who are found standing in queues outside ration shops and that too for free rice. India can become a super power later. It first needs to take care of its farmers. It needs to change into a government that cares for its farmers."

The actor had last spoken out for a public issue when the state was hit by protests in support of the traditional 'jallikattu' in 2016.