H Raja defends Rajinikanth’s speech on Periyar 

“The Dravidian outfits are trying to threaten Rajinikanth by filing complaints in police stations, but none of the complaints will stand valid before the judicial scrutiny. In fact, Rajinikanth should have spoken more about the 1971 protest of anti-Hindu Dravidar Kazhagam and a regret for me is that Rajinikanth has shortened his statement on the protest,” said Raja, while addressing reporters in Kancheepuram.

In the recently conducted Golden Jubilee function of Thuglak magazine, Rajinikanth made an alleged controversial speech on Periyar stating that in the protest staged in Salem in 1971, Hindu Gods were shamed and Thuglak was the onlymagazine to report the incident.

Various Dravidian and Tamil outfits have condemned the statement of Rajinikanth.

Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam leader Kolathur Mani said that Rajinikanth’s statement was not true and asked Dravidian outfits to launch police complaint against Rajinikanth in all the districts. He also demanded unconditional apology from the actor.

Following the statement, police complaint was launched against the actor in seven districts.

Raja criticised the Dravidian outfits by saying that these outfits are trying to divide people by raising the issue of ethnicity. “Dravidian outfits are not interested in the unity of Tamil people and are trying to fish in troubled waters by raising the issue of caste. They are doing harm to the state,” said Raja, in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Rajinikanth was criticised as a supporter of saffron politics for his speech against Periyar and Dravidian outfits. “It is non-rational to associate Rajinikanth with saffron politics and call his as a voice of BJP for his criticising Periyar and Dravidian outfits,” said Raja.