Actor Rajinikanth, a strong votary of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, has blamed the Home Ministry and an intelligence failure on the part of the Centre for the recent riots in Delhi, and has sought to steer clear of his pro-BJP political image. CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan feels the prevailing popular mood against CAA has prompted the actor to alter his stand. Excerpts:
In the wake of the Delhi riots, Mr. Rajinikanth has hit out at the Centre. How do you view this?
Everyone has been expressing concern over the riots, and Mr. Rajinikanth also would have felt strongly that this should be condemned. No one can be happy about the loss of human lives. When it comes to CAA, he should seek the opinions of all sides before taking a stand. In the beginning, he seemed to echo the BJP’s view on the issue. The reality is that this is an unnecessary Act deliberately imposed on the people. CAA is not going to resolve any of the pressing issues facing the country. On the contrary, it has created a divide among the people and triggered riots. I think Mr. Rajinikanth has sensed it.
Does that mean he is distancing himself from the BJP?
Mr. Rajinikanth himself has clarified that he cannot be branded as a voice of the BJP just because he supports the party on some issues. Probably, he is under compulsion to diverge from his earlier stand as he would have sensed the prevailing public sentiment. It is everyone’s expectation that he should take the secular tradition and pluralism of Tamil Nadu into consideration and take a political decision. I do not think he is a BJP supporter. But the views he had expressed were construed to mean that he was on the BJP’s side.
There has been a change in him. Otherwise, what is the need for him to hold consultations with Muslim representatives? It is good that he is not adamantly sticking to his stand.
What kind of an impact do you think he will make in politics?
That could be determined only after he launches his party and publicises his stand on many basic and vital issues and the solutions for them.
Will the AIADMK government benefit electorally by declaring the Cauvery delta a protected agricultural zone?
I do not think their efforts will pay electoral dividends. The AIADMK government continues to toe the BJP line on all issues. The announcement will not give any boost to agriculture. The nature of the delta’s landscape is not uniform. Tail-end regions never get adequate water. One side is surrounded by sea and has been converted into shrimp farms. The government should promote agro-based industry. The role of the farmers ends with harvest, and they have nothing to do with post-harvest operations. Food processing industries alone will improve the situation.
How do you view the DMK’s prospects?
In the current circumstances, the DMK and other secular parties will certainly win an election. The trend that prevailed during the Lok Sabha poll continues, though the subsequent bypolls were won by the AIADMK. But byelections are not the indicators of what people are thinking.
Your Rajya Sabha member T.K. Rangarajan’s term is set to end. Will you be approaching the DMK for a berth?
No. We do not have any representation in the Assembly. Our party did not discuss the issue with the DMK during the seat-sharing talks for the Lok Sabha polls.