india

Updated: Aug 14, 2019 23:52 IST

Actor Rajinikanth on Wednesday defended his stand lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the Kashmir issue.

The praise was for the diplomatic way the two handled scrapping of Article 370 that gave special status for Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

“The way they handled the Kashmir issue, they handled it in a diplomatic fashion,” he told reporters here, adding he likened them to Krishna and Arjuna to indicate that one came up with the plan and another executed it.

Rajinikanth said Kashmir is a big issue and related to the nation’s security, adding the region has become a den for terrorists and extremists.

“It is like a gateway of India for them to intrude into the country,” he said.

Under such circumstances, in a diplomatic fashion, the Centre first imposed prohibitory orders, and then kept key leaders “like under house arrest.” Later, the Union government got the Bill first passed in Rajya Sabha where they do not have a majority and then went to the Lok Sabha.

“This is a nice diplomatic act,” he said.

Had this issue been debated ahead of the passing of the Bills that scrapped Article 370 and reorganised the State, separatist elements in Kashmir would have been alerted and they would not have allowed things to happen.

Reiterating that Kashmir was a key issue related to the nation’s security, he appealed to “some honourable politicians,” to distinguish between issues that can be politicised and matters that cannot be.

On reports suggesting that his proposed political party may be launched on April 14 next year, he said “I will let you know. I will definitely tell you.” Asked if Poes Garden, where his residence is located will re-emerge as “political epicentre,” like it was during the time of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, he said “wait and see.” Jayalalithaa’s residence was also situated at the upscale Poes Garden here and the area was a political fortress during her days.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)