Chennai: The caustic comments made by the BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on the Tamil film star Rajinikanth saw the union minister Pon Radhakrishnan come out in defence of the Superstar.
The road trabsport, highways and shipping minister said that Rajini could speak English fluently.
The divisions within BJP about the MP with maverick views were further brought out in the episode involving the actor and his likely entry into politics, which has been severely criticised by Swamy. A pro-Hindu outfit has also condemned the MP.
Radhakrishnan, who is known to have high regard for the actor, said Rajinikanth is a versatile personality. “He can speak English fluently,” he said reacting to query from reporters on Sunday. “Entering into politics is entirely his personal decision,” the Minister said indicating others have no locus standi to criticise the actor personally.
Ponnar’s remarks come a day after his party Subramanian Swamy made adverse remarks on Rajinikanth calling the actor “illiterate and unfit for politics” and describing him as “Shree 420.”
“I would be happy if actor Rajinikanth joins politics and doubly happy if he joins the BJP,” the Minister had said recently and expressed that he expected the ‘superstar’ to take a “good” political decision at this juncture when the state was in a “dilemma.”
Meanwhile, Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) president Arjun Sampath, who had recently met the actor in Chennai, flayed Subramanian Swamy saying there was nothing wrong if the ‘superstar’ took the political plunge as he had the backing of lakhs of people.
