CHENNAI, Mar 20:
Dismissing reporters that BJP was behind him, actor Rajinikanth, who has confirmed his entry into politics, on Tuesday said God and people were behind him.
In a brief interaction outside his Poes Garden residence after returning from a ten-day long spiritual tour to Shimla, Dehradun, Himalayas and Rishikesh, he said the BJP was not behind him.
When asked about his meeting with some BJP leaders during his spiritual tour and the general perception that the BJP was behind him, he said “BJP is not behind me. First God, next the people, are behind me”.
On the opposition to the VHP-backed Ram Rajya Rath Yathra and protests by parties like the DMK, VCK and others, Rajinikanth said Tamil Nadu was a secular state and the government should take steps to prevent any communal flare up.
”Police should provide adequate security to maintain communal harmony, and communal violence in any form should be prevented”, he said, adding, ”I hope that the government will take steps to prevent it”.
He said the Rath yathra should not give room for any communal violence in the State.
On the Cauvery issue, he said the Tamil Nadu government should exert more pressure on the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC).
”When the Supreme Court verdict is out on February 16, I said the CMB should be formed. But the Centre is delaying it…the state government should put more pressure (on the centre)”, Rajinikanth said.
While condemning vandalising of the statue of rationalist leader Periyar at Alangudi in Pudukottai district as ‘barbaric’, Rajinikanth termed as wrong and said that he was planning to announce his party name and unveil the flag on April 14, the auspicious Tamil New Year day.
On his political journey, he said only after appointment of office-bearers for various district Makkal Mandrams, the next course of action would be taken.
On the ongoing strike in Tamil film industry that brought film shooting and screening of films to a grinding halt, he said he was not for any strike.
”The strike should end as early as possible”, he said.
He said he was very rejuvenated after the spiritual tour. (UNI)
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