Rajini breaks silence on Cauvery row; Says CSK players can wear black badges to show their support

Superstar Rajinikanth has suggested that Chennai Super Kings players could wear black badges during IPL matches to show their solidarity with the people of the state and their demand for the formation of the Cauvery water Management Board.

Talking to mediapersons, before leaving to join the silent protest by the Nadigar Sangam in support of the demand for the formation of the Cauvery Management Board and the shutting down of the Sterlite plant in Tuticorin, Rajini said that his request to the Prime Minister was that the Cauvery Management Board must be formed immediately.

The actor warned the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre that it would have to face the wrath and discontentment of all the Tamil people, if it did not implement the Supeme Court order and form the Cauvery Management Board at the earliest.

Pointing out that the Supreme Court had firmly told in its order that the Cauvery Management Board must be formed, Rajini said that the Centre had not made any efforts to form the board so far. He reiterated that the demands of the Tamil people were very just and that this was for the livelihood of small farmers whose survival depended on this water.

When pointed out that there were demands that the IPL matches in Chennai be stopped to create an awareness on the seriousness of the issue, Rajini said,”It is good if that could be done or alternatively, our CSK players could wear black badges or pieces of cloth to show their solidarity with the cause.If that is not possible, at least the youth who go to watch matches could wear black clothes to show their protest.”

When asked about the threats made by fringe groups in Karnataka that have threatened to block his film’s release in that state, Rajini said,”If they block my film’s release, the state government there and the producers will take care of it.”

To another question on whether he considered Kamal Haasan his rival, Rajini replied, “Kamal Haasan is not at all my enemy. The tears of the farmers, poverty, corruption and unemployment are my enemies.”

The actor also made it clear that the Sterlite Copper factory in Thoothukudi too must be shut down. “If any of the five natural elements of land, air, water, sky or earth are being polluted, then the world will get destroyed. So, no matter how many crores profit we make, no matter how many lakh people get employment, if something pollutes, it needs to be shut down.”