Rajnikanth blasts Karnataka over water project

Chennai, April 4 (IANS) Tamil film star Rajnikanth launched a blistering attack Friday against his native state Karnataka for opposing the Hogenekkal drinking water project in Tamil Nadu.

'I unequivocally condemn Karnataka for this reprehensible act of denying us what is rightfully ours,' Rajnikanth said.

Anger was writ large on the visage of the ageing superstar when he warned politicians in Karnataka against 'using a false premise for (short term gains) during elections'.

'A national political party I respect is forcing me to wonder by its despicable acts whether there is (rule of law) in this country (guaranteed by) the Supreme Court,' Rajnikanth argued.

'Don't people who indulge in mindless violence for a worthless cause deserve to be belaboured?' he asked, speaking near the Chepaul cricket stadium where Tamil film stars were on hunger strike in support of the water project in Dharmapuri district, 350 km southwest of Chennai.

'I appeal to people like (former Karnataka Chief Ministers B.S.) Yediyurappa, (H.D.) Kumaraswamy and (former prime minister H.D.) Deve Gowda to desist from whipping up (chauvinistic) sentiments purely aimed at the (ensuing) elections and nip this fissiparous tendency in the bud before the situation gets out of hand,' Rajnikanth added.

Rajnikanth, whose mother tongue is Marathi, hails from Bengalooru where he has considerable investments. He has also played the male lead in several Kannada films.

A galaxy of stars including Kamal Hassan, Vijaykanth and Sarath Kumar made an impassioned appeal to Karnataka to give up its 'unjust quest'.

At the end of the fast, a joint resolution on behalf of the Tamil film fraternity was adopted. It assured Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi of the tinsel town's total support in his fight to achieve justice for the state.