The Hindu : Film artists stick to Neyveli protest plan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 07, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Film artists stick to Neyveli protest plan

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

CHENNAI OCT. 6. Despite misgivings from some quarters, film artists, led by the director, Bharatiraaja, have decided to go ahead with their agitation plan at Neyveli on October 12 demanding stoppage of power supply to Karnataka from the Neyveli Lignite Corporation.

In a setback to attempts at arriving at a non-confrontationist stand, Mr. Bharatiraaja today said that the agitation would be held as scheduled.

The film star, Rajnikant, who left for New Delhi today in an attempt at meeting the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, on the Cauvery issue, said: "I will support any agitation seeking water, but not any protest that asks for blood.''

At yesterday's meeting of film actors, several film personalities, taking the cue from

Mr. Rajnikant, suggested a non-confrontationist mode of agitation, possibly in Chennai. However, the final decision was to be taken in consultation with the actor, Vijaykant, and Mr. Bharatiraaja.

Although Mr. Rajnikant agreed to abide by the decision taken at the meeting, he did not hide his displeasure at the agitation linking power supply to Karnataka with the water release from Cauvery. Film actor Kamal Hassan too took the same stand. Not surprisingly, while Mr. Bharatiraaja expressed hope that Mr. Rajnikant would participate in the protest rally, the film star proceeded to Rishikesh from New Delhi after he failed to get an appointment with the Prime Minister. However, Mr. Bharatiraaja made light of Rajnikant's remarks saying those who wanted blood were on the Karnataka side and not in Tamil Nadu.

Channels blocked

Meanwhile, Cable TV operartors in Tamil Nadu declared their support to the film fraternity and blacked out Kannada channels. Their stand was in response to the blocking of Tamil channels in Karnataka yesterday.

Kannada channels in Tamil Nadu — Udhaya and Udhaya News — were blacked out today. The channels would be aired only after Tamil channels were allowed to telecast in Karnataka, according to the president of the Tamilaga Cable TV Urimaialargal Sangham, Kishore Kumar.

Mr. Bharatiraaja is expected to meet the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, tomorrow at the Secretariat to discuss "security-related aspects'' of the agitation. The venue of the agitation would be finalised only after considering the security arrangements.

The Cuddalore Collector, S. Thangaswami, and the Superindent of Police, Rajeev Kumar, visited the Neyveli township today and held discussions with the authorities on the arrangements.

Political parties have extended support to the agitation at the initiative of the film industry, but many, such as the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, wonder how the protesters intend to realise their demand for stopping power supply to Karnataka.

The "politicisation'' of the Tamil film industry was prompted by taunting from the PMK, which, pointing to the lead taken by the Kannada film star, Rajkumar, on the Cauvery issue, wondered why the Tamil film artists were not fighting for the cause of Tamil Nadu. The DMK, which boycotted the earlier all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue, has convened a meeting of its high-level committee to consider participation in tomorrow's meeting. The Congress, which walked out of the last meeting, has already decided to participate. The party would be represented by the TNCC president, S. Balakrishnan, and the working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan.

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