Fact Check: Surya's letter supporting quota for EWS is fake

Hyderabad: A letter purportedly written by actor Surya is doing rounds on social media.

It states that Surya's Agaram Foundation has extended support to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for giving a 27 percent quota for OBCs and economically weaker sections.

"The Supreme Court ruling confirming the 27% quota for other backward classes is historically significant. DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who spearheaded the legal battle for this, has been thanked by the backward people across the country and their welfare movements. I also joined them on behalf of the Agaram Foundation," the letter read.

"4000 medical education places will be made available to other backward students. In the case of Tamil Nadu, the cross-enrollment ratio of students from the Kongu region in higher education is higher than the national and state averages. It is therefore my hope that this judgment will realize the medical education dream of more than 800 underprivileged students a year. Let Tamil Nadu continue on the path of social justice. We will stand with you. Sincerely Surya," read the letter.

Click here to view the post.

சமூக நீதிப் பாதையில் தொடர்ந்து தமிழ்நாடு வீறு நடை போடட்டும்; நாமும் உடன் நிற்போம் -
நடிகர் சூரியா ❤❤❤❤#Suriya | #socialjustice
என்றைக்கும் நாங்கள் உங்களோடு துணை நிற்போம்...@rajiv_dmk @DrSenthil_MDRD @U2Brutus_off pic.twitter.com/7bv5HQJBz5

— Niruban Bass Thandiyappan (@nirupanbasusfi) January 8, 2022

Fact Check:

The claim is false.

NewsMeter checked the actor Surya's official social media account and Agaram Foundation's social media handles but found no such letter.

Commenting on the report going viral, Rajasekar Pandian, co-producer of 2D Entertainment, said on his Twitter page: "A fake report in the name of Surya has been circulating on social media since 8-01-2022. Avoid it. Legal action will be taken against him. "

A fake letter in the name of @Suriya_offl dated 08-01-2022 is being circulated in social media, kindly ignore. Necessary legal action is being taken. #FakeLetter

— Rajsekar Pandian (@rajsekarpandian) January 8, 2022

"Manoj Das, vice-president of 2D, has lodged a complaint with the Commissioner of Police on behalf of actor Surya. In the complaint, Surya has stated that action should be taken against the miscreants who issued fake statements in his name. The cybercrime police are investigating the complaint," according to Tamil News18.

https://tamil.news18.com/news/tamil-nadu/fake-statement-in-surya-name-about-reservation-complaint-made-in-commissioner-office-mur-663345.html

We also found other media reports by Times of India and News7 Tamil who reported the same.

நடிகர் சூர்யா பெயரில் சமூக வலைத்தளங்களில் பரவிவரும் போலி அறிக்கை https://t.co/CnV8a3Z0Wm | @Suriya_offl | #News7tamil | #News7tamilupdates pic.twitter.com/Wyp5yP64Hq

— News7 Tamil (@news7tamil) January 8, 2022

https://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/official-statement-letter-in-name-of-suriya-supporting-quota-for-ews-is-fake/articleshow/88791560.cms

Hence, the claim is false. Actor Surya has not released any such letter.