Rajinikanth bows to protests, calls off Sri Lanka visit
Rajinikanth was scheduled to hand over the homes built by Lyca Group's Gnanam Foundation for displaced Tamils in northern Jaffna on April 9 and 10.
Superstar Rajinikanth on Saturday called off his planned visit to Jaffna in Sri Lanka to inaugurate a housing scheme for poor displaced Tamils after protests by some pro-Tamil outfits.
Rajinikanth was scheduled to hand over the homes built by Lyca Group's Gnanam Foundation for displaced Tamils in northern Jaffna on April 9 and 10. Lyca Productions, owned by Subashkaran Allirajah, is producing the actor's latest sci-fi movie '2.0', a sequel to his earlier 'Enthiran'.
The actor said he took the decision after founders of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Vaiko and Thol Thirumavalavan respectively, and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) leader T Velmurugan asked him to consider withdrawing from the programme. "Even though I could not wholeheartedly agree with them, I am avoiding participating in the event accepting their kind request," said the actor.
He further explained that he accepted the invitation only because he wanted to see the places where the Tamils lived and died for their cause in the Island nation. "I wanted to meet the people and have an open talk with them," said the actor adding that he also planned to meet Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena to discuss and find a solution for attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen.
Apparently pained at the opposition to his Lanka visit, the actor said he was "not a politician, but an artiste". "Like Thirumavalavan said it is my duty to entertain the people. If I get the privilege of witnessing that divine soil in the future by visiting there and entertaining the people, kindly do not politicise that," he said.
In 2014 various Tamil outfits, including VCK and TVK, had opposed Lyca Productions' Tamil movie 'Kaththi', alleging that Allirajah had close business ties with the then Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is often criticised in Tamil Nadu for the death of civilian Tamils during the final battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.