Veteran director Bharathi Raja has opened up for the first time about the Nadigar Sangam issue which has caused heated exchanges from both the sides ahead of elections to be conducted on October 18.

Bharathi Raja without explicitly supporting either side has said in a Press Statement that only those who are born as Tamils should be elected for the key posts of the Nadigar Sangam.

He also expressed his displeasure over the problems of the actors which should have been resolved within themselves is being discussed in public and a lot of defamatory news are being reported in Television channels as well as other forms of media about actors.

The '16 Vayathinile' director also reminded about the long-held demand that the name of Nadigar Sangam which stands as South Indian Film Artists Association be changed as Tamil Nadu Films Artists Association. When the Sangam was formed in 1952 all the South Indian Film Artists were operating under one umbrella but later the actors of other three film industries of South India formed their own associations. Hence, there is no point in retaining the common name as South Indian and it should be changed as Tamil Nadu as it has been done in the case of Tamil Film Producers Council and Tamil Nadu Directors Union.

Bharathi Raja recalled that in response to his demand, Sarathkumar after assuming the Presidentship of the Sangam passed a resolution to change its name as Tamil Nadu Film Artists Association. The resolution was passed in the General Body Council of the Sangam but it has not been implemented so far.

Further, the highly celebrated filmmaker lamented that the Tamil Nadu politics and Tamil Film industry are being dominated by those who are not native Tamilians and that's why many associations have non-Tamilians in prominent posts.

Bharathiraja again reiterated that those who do no belonging to Tamil community can be a member in any Tamil association including the Nadigar Sangam but for the administrative and leadership posts should be held only by those who have Tamil as their Mother tongue. He also asked the members of the Sangam to keep these points in mind before casting their vote.