In his first Independence Day address as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Vijay on Saturday called for breaking the “shackles” of caste and religion, saying true freedom would come when people overcome such divisions. He also described the fight against corruption as another form of freedom.
“People start feeling united once they realise they have been kept like slaves. That’s when shackles like religion, caste break. This is real freedom. This is what happened under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi,” Vijay said in his Independence Day address at Fort St George in Chennai.
Paying tribute to freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country, the 52-year-old actor-politician said the spirit of the freedom struggle should continue to guide society.
He said his government was also fighting for another form of freedom by working to rid Tamil Nadu of corruption.
“Rescuing Tamil Nadu from corruption is also a form of freedom and that’s what our government is doing,” Vijay said, while appealing to government officials to work towards making the state corruption-free.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also spoke about his government’s relationship with the Centre, saying his administration would cooperate with the Centre on matters of governance but would not compromise when it came to Tamil Nadu’s interests.
“We are working with the central government for administration, but when it comes to state interests, there will be no compromise,” he said.
Vijay said his government was also continuing welfare schemes introduced by previous administrations if they benefited the people. He cited Amma Unavagam, launched under the AIADMK government, and the breakfast scheme for schoolchildren introduced by the DMK government as examples.
He also said Tamil Nadu would work towards becoming a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2036, while outlining the government’s development priorities.
Appealing for public support, Vijay said voting alone was not enough and urged people to remain engaged with the government. “Please don’t think the job is done after voting. Now is when we need your support and only then can we implement schemes,” he said.
Addressing Tamil people across the world and Gen Z, Vijay extended his greetings and called on them to join the state’s development journey.
He also announced new measures for freedom fighters and their families and thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for what he described as their support in breaking barriers of caste, religion and money. “I salute the people of Tamil Nadu who have broken caste, religion, money, who have given us overwhelming support,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vijay’s friend and actor Trisha Krishnan attended the Independence Day celebrations in Chennai. She was seated in the front row ahead of Vijay’s flag-hoisting ceremony.
Videos from the event showed Trisha, dressed in a yellow saree and wearing a gajra, waiting for Vijay’s arrival. In another clip, she was seen seated next to Vijay’s parents, SA Chandrasekhar and Shoba Chandrasekhar. She had arrived at the venue with her mother, Uma Krishnan, and was also seen saluting Vijay during the parade.
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Published By:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published On:
Aug 15, 2026 11:17 IST
