The Jammu and Kashmir bifurcation proposed by the Narendra Modi led RSS-BJP government, has found a strong critic in Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi. The actor who was one among the winning honours at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, expressed his view on the same by stating,

“I would go by the words of legendary Periyar, who said that people have the rights to choose and decide what they need, which is democratic. In contrast, what has happened with Jammu & Kashmir bifurcation is purely undemocratic. It is nothing but grabbing away the freedom of people. We have been coming across many testimonies from the people out there, who are saying, “Our homes have become prisons now.”  As a ruling party, it can show interest or help for the betterment of any region and its peoples, but one cannot sternly implement their own principles upon them.”

On Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature). This reallocation of the map will come into existence on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel i.e October 31, 2019.