Rajinikanth condemns Centre over Delhi violence, says "resign

Superstar Rajinikanth on Wednesday lashed out at the Central government over the

violence in Delhi that left 24 people dead, saying the riots should have been dealt with an iron fist.

In a rare sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, Rajinikanth also asked those in power to "resign and go" if

the violence could not be crushed with an iron fist. However, he did not name anyone.

His contemporary and Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan hailed Rajinikanth's remarks, saying this was the

'right path.' "Definitely it is Central government's intelligence

failure. I strongly condemn the Central government," he told reporters here when asked about the violence in northeast

Delhi that killed 24 people including a policeman and an IB official.

"They should have been so careful when the US President (Donald) Trump had visited (the country). The

intelligence didn't do its job properly. It (violence) should have been completely crushed with an iron fist. We expect them

to be careful at least from now on," he added. To a question, he said intelligence failure meant

failure of the Union Home Ministry. "With iron fist this should be crushed, else (they)

should resign and go..what is this..it is becoming too much," he said.

The violence should have been nipped in the bud and it was the job of both the Centre and the state government, he

said, apparently referring to the AAP government. Asked if he wanted the protests to be crushed,

Rajinikanth said he didn't refer to the anti-CAA agitations but asserted that such protests should not give way to

violence. The actor, who recalled his earlier statement that he

will stand by Muslims if they were affected by the amended citizenship law, said he did not see CAA being withdrawn since

it was adopted by both houses of Parliament, before being given the Presidential assent.

Therefore, the protests may not yield any results, he said responding to the ongoing anti-CAA agitation here,

besides the occasional ones across the state. "Immediately I am being branded as the BJP's

mouthpiece, that the BJP is behind me, especially some senior journalists and political observers," he regretted.

However, he reiterated he will "definitely stand" by those who are affected by the CAA.

The actor, who has announced he will face next year's Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, also wanted the media to

play a constructive role during such times. He further lashed out at politicians and individuals

instigating people by making provocative statements using religion, saying this also should be dealt with firmly, else

"it will be difficult in the future." Kamal Haasan in a tweet in Tamil, said the path chosen

by Rajinikanth is the right one and welcomed him. "Sabash friend @rajinikanth. This path is the right

path (it is) not a separate path...," he said in an apparent reference to the actor's famous dialogue in a film that "my

path is separate path." PTI SA SS SS SS

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)