Chennai (PTI): South Indian superstar Rajnikant, who comes under the scanner here everytime a water row breaks out with Karnataka because of his Kannada links, on Friday accused the politicians from Karanataka of whipping up sentiments on the Hogenakkal issue because of coming elections and condemned the violence against Tamils in that state.

Flanked by another superstar Kamal Hasan and other leading lights of Tamil cinema including Vijayakant and Sarathkumar, Rajnikant, a Marathi who had his early grooming in Bangalore before becoming a superstar in Tamil Nadu, said the issue was sensitive and polticians resolve the issue amicably because it involved the unity of the country.

He made an emotional address winding up a day-long fast organised by the film industry protesting against the recent attacks on theatres in Bangalore showing Tamil films. Every word of his was lapped up by a large gathering of fans waiting in the hot sun to hear him.

Rajnikant attacked former Chief Minister S M Krishna, who he said had jumped into the fray because he wants to head his party in the coming elections, for his statement that Chief Minister Karunanidhi had made a harsh statement on the issue.

"Speak the truth," he told him and also attacked BJP leader Yediyurappa of creating the problem by going to Hogenakkal, located in Tamil Nadu, and staging a demonstration recntly.

"A leader of a big national party engaging in such an act is cheap," he said and appealed to other leaders like former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy not not to politicise the issue because of the approaching elections.

Without naming Yediyurappa, Rajni said "it was a cheap act by a leader of a big national party and an election gimmick. I do not approve it." The party's (BJP) Tamil Nadu unit is keeping quiet, he added.

Yediyurappa, who briefly held the post of Chief Ministership before he resigned following withdrawal of support by JDS last year, had staged a demonstration at the border town of Hogenakkal where a Rs 1334 crore project for providing drinking water to the parched districts of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts was being implemented by Tamil Nadu.

Rajnikant wondered how Karnataka could oppose the scheme, waters for which would be used from the Cauvery running within Tamil Nadu. "Those who are raising the issue are doing it for the elections," he said.

"The issue should be nipped in the bud," he said, terming the opposition as dangerous to the sovereignty of India.

Kamal Hassan delivered a subdued speech, calling for restraint on all sides. Apparently referring to Satyaraj's strident speech egging Tamils not to live like cowards, Kamal said "Tamils were an old race and should not afraid of these small events."

Supporting lyricist Vairamuthu's stand that the Centre should intervene to get Tamil Nadu's rightful share of the Cauvery waters for the Hogenakkal project, Kamal said the issue should not affect brotherhood between the two states,

"Let this fast convey a message to the Centre," he said, denouncing violence in both states.

While appreciating the strong sentiments of the some of speakers, Kamal said the issue involved crores of people and not not a game played in a lighter vein.

"I want Rajni, I want Kumble and I also want Satyaraj," he added.

The day-long action saw the participation of top stars to show their solidarity with the state's cause. Among those who showed up at the fast were actors Prakash Raj, Murli, Arjun, Prabhudeva, all of whom are of Kannada origin, Madhavan, Kartik, Prabhu, Vivek and actresses Trisha, Ramya, Nayantara, Shreya and Kushboo, the last three who are from outside Tamil Nadu.

Barring the remarks of some, the general tone of the speeches was that the people of both the states were not not opposed to each other but it was the fringe elements and politicians in Karnataka who were responsible for the problem.

All the speakers asked the Centre to take a proactive stand for resolution of the problem.

Actor-politician, R Sarath Kumar, also the president of the South Indian Artistes' Association (SIAA), termed the opposition by the pro-Kannada groups and the violence as a "constitutional breakdown," and said the Centre should intervene in the issue immediately and offer a solution.

"The project was sanctioned in 1998. Where was YedIYurappa all these years? He is raising the issue now only keeping in mind the coming Assembly elections," Kumar, who had spent a number of years in Bangalore in a newspaper, said.

However, he made it clear that the fast was not against Karnataka or its people but only an attempt to help India's sovereignty and integrity remain intact.

Later, the members adopted a resolution saying the various associations of Tamil film industry, the SIAA, the Producers' Council, the Film Chamber and the Distributors' Federation, would support all the efforts by the Tamil Nadu Government on the issue.

Popular lyricist Vaali ended the eight-hour fast by offering fruit juice to members.