Rajini well informed on CAA: Hajj panel chief

Earlier in the day, Hajj Committee Chairman Abu Backer met Rajinikanth and told mediapersons that the actor was so well informed that he could educate others on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Admitting that they had discussed the CAA during the personal meeting with Rajinikanth, Backer said, “He is a legend. We don’t have to clarify him on the CAA. He knows everything. He has read the CAA and the NRC extensively. He is so well informed that he can educate us on the legislation.”

Backer was among the very few members of the minority community to defend Rajini’s stand on the issue, more so after many parties and minority associations have criticised the actor’s guarded political response to incidents in Delhi. 

Meanwhile, several members of the Kollywood, led by directors Vetrimaran and Ameer, came out publicly against the CAA, the NPR and the NRC here on Saturday.

National award-winning director Vetrimaran, who also visited the anti-CAA protests at Washermanpet, popularly called Shaheen Bagh of Chennai, said the CAA and the NRC have created a fear among the people, which was the fundamental of fascism.

Addressing mediapersons with Ameer and May 17 Movement leader Thirumurugan Gandhi later in the day, Vetrimaran said that it was the prerogative of the people to show or not show documents to the census surveyors as per the existing rule. “By not showing the documents, we can register our protest,” Vetrimaran remarked.

Joining the issue with his like-minded Kollywood colleague, director Ameer said the violence witnessed in Delhi during US president Donald Trump’s visit was meticulously planned and not spontaneous.

“It is worrisome even media treat it as clash between anti-CAA and pro-CAA protesters. It is being portrayed as a conflict between Hindus and Muslims. It is not so. 

One group wants to protect Constitution, another is against it.  Repeated portrayal of the Delhi violence as Hindu versus Muslims problem is unfortunate.” He also added; “I don’t think NRC or NPR targets Muslims. 

It will discriminate and treat all natives of the country as second class citizens.” Ameer also remarked that violence unfolded in the national capital owing to the failure of the civil society to study who were against democracy when four judges of the Supreme Court had gone public a few years ago.

 “We sought an alternative to corruption. But corruption has been replaced with religious fundamentalism and divisive politics. We failed to explore who were against democracy when four judges went public a few years ago? The failure has resulted in Delhi violence,” Ameer reasoned.

The directors were among very few members of the Tamil cinema to publicly dare the ruling party on the controversial citizenship issue.

After Rajinikanth allegedly sought the withdrawal of the police personnel posted at his residence in Poes Garden, Deputy Commissioner (Intelligence) Thirunavukkarasu met him on Saturday to ascertain the reason behind the actor’s request.

A five-member team headed by a sub-inspector and a few army reserve personnel have been posted in front of his house round-the-clock following open threats after his speech at the 50th anniversary of the Thuglak magazine in the city at a function in January.

However, after returning from the shoot of his upcoming film Annaatthe on Wednesday, Rajini requested the police personnel to leave, as the protests in front of his house were withdrawn. 

After it was communicated to senior officials in the police department, DC Thirunavukkarasu visited the actor at his residence in Poes Garden to check the security. 

With the actor remaining firm on his decision even after the officer explained to him that the security has been posted to prevent any sudden law and order situation, the city police have decided to withdraw the personnel posted there.