Chennai: Days after glorifying Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "Krishna Arjuna combination," Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth on Wednesday hailed the two leaders as "master strategists" who had handled the Kashmir issue in a diplomatic manner.
"The way they handled the Kashmir issue… they handled it in a diplomatic manner," he said, justifying he likened them to Krishna and Arjuna combination to say that while one came up with the plan, the other executed it.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday Rajinikanth said Kashmir is a big issue and related to the nation's security and appealed to politicians to distinguish between issues which can be politicised and which cannot be.
On Sunday, the veteran actor congratulated Mr. Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for revoking Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and likened the ties between the two leaders to that of Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna in the Mahabarata.
"BJP leaders Amit Shahji and Narendra Modiji are like Krishna and Arjuna. Nobody knows who is Krishna and who is Arjuna. They alone know who is Krishna and who is Arjuna," Rajini said while speaking at the launch of book titled 'Listening, Learning, and Leading', chronicling Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu's extensive engagement with the public during his two years in office by Union Home Minister Amit Shah here.
"Kashmir is like a gateway of India for them (terrorists) to intrude into the country," he said. So, taking this into account, the Centre first imposed prohibitory orders, kept key leaders "like under house arrest" and later, the government got the Bill passed first in Rajya Sabha where they do not have majority and then went to the Lok Sabha, he said. "This is a nice diplomatic act," he added.
Had this issue been debated ahead of the passing the Bills that scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated the state, then separatist elements in Kashmir would have been alerted and they would not have allowed things to happen, he said.
On reports suggesting that his proposed political party may be launched on April 14 next year, he said, "I will let you know. I will definitely tell you." Asked if Poes Garden, where his residence is located will re-emerge as "political epicentre," like it was during the time of late AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, he said "wait and see."
