Rajinikanth politically immature: Jayakumar

Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar on Tuesday said actor Rajinikanth did not know the state's political history and was politically immature after he converted a condolence meeting for DMK President M. Karunanidhi to launch himself as a full-time politician.

Jayakumar also said that in his speech, the actor-turned-politician tried to woo Karunanidhi's followers to his side.

The AIADMK leader was reacting to Rajinikanth's statement made at the condolence meeting organised by the South Indian Artistes Association here on Monday in memory of the late Karunanidhi.

He said it was not a healthy practice to talk politics at a condolence meeting and Rajinikanth's speech showed his political immaturity. "Movie shooting and meetings are not the same."

Rajinikanth had said he would have protested if the government had gone on appeal against the High Court order in favour of burying Karunanidhi's body at the Marina beach.

The Minister wondered if Rajinikanth would have walked freely had he said such things during the lifetime of MGR or J. Jayalalithaa.

Jayakumar said Rajinikanth's political opportunism would not pay.

Rajinikanth also questioned the absence of Chief Minister K. Palaniswami at the Marina beach for Karunanidhi's burial when several other leaders were present there.

"Are you Jayalalithaa or MGR (M.G.Ramachandran, founder of AIADMK)?" he asked of the present AIADMK leaders.

Jayakumar said space was allotted for burying Karunanidhi's body near Gandhi Mandapam here without showing any political vendetta.

The DMK and family members of the Karunanidhi had sought space on the Marina to bury the former Chief Minister's body who died here on August 7.

The Tamil Nadu government turned down the request citing legal hurdles and offered alternative site.

Later the DMK moved the Madras High Court, which ordered the Tamil Nadu government to permit burial of Karunanidhi's body at Marina.

--IANS

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