With Narendra Modi’s Visit In Chennai, Tamil Film Industry Intensifies Agitation For Cauvery Water Management Board

Fans of Chennai Super Kings were in for a rude shock when it was declared on Wednesday evening that IPL matches in Chennai will now be held in Pune. Owing to the protests spearheaded by several fringe groups and political parties in Tamil Nadu, with some Tamil cinema personalities in participation, the matches have been moved after Tuesday’s protest outside M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Thousands had gathered with the intention of boycotting the Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders match as they felt the cricket players should lend their support towards calling out the Centre’s failure at forming a Cauvery Water Management Board.

“The matches had to be shifted out as the Chennai police said they would be unable to provide security in this situation,” IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said in Jaipur on Wednesday. CSK’s first match in Pune will be against Rajasthan Royals on April 20.

Having to shift the Home matches from the Den was not something that was on the cards. The Lions will roar in Pune and would like to thank all the Super Fans from the #WhistlePoduArmy for all the #Yellove support. Keep them whistles coming! ??

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 12, 2018

Several members of the Tamil film industry such as P Bharathiraja, Vetrimaaran, Vairamuthu, Ameer, Thankar Bachan, and others were part of the protests Tuesday. Bharathiraja and Seeman even held a press conference on Wednesday warning disruption to the next match on April 20.

Nevertheless, several other members of the industry have called out the violence that is happening in the name of protests.

IPL shifted. Vaazhthukkal. Can we please close tasmac? Next can we shut all TV channels owned by politicians? Can we please ban party flags at protest venues? There are many embarrassing things and people in our TN! Fight together. #SaveFarmers #CauveryIssue

— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) April 11, 2018

pic.twitter.com/oRL7YstxN8

— arvind swami (@thearvindswami) April 11, 2018

Abusing women standing in lines to IPL beating Tamil Nadu Police in Uniform .Your Protest is turning against our own people be sensible if you really care for farmers . Donate generously stand for our own state don’t create hatred .

— Karunakaran (@actorkaruna) April 11, 2018

Protests..shoes thrown at players..common people abused and some innocent ppl beaten up ..#IPL venue shifted..wat nxt? Reqst to all..plz dont get misguided by some miscreants who r always tryin to make wrong use of our emotions for their personal gains #CauveryWaterManagement

— VISHNU VISHAL – VV (@iamvishnuvishal) April 11, 2018

Now IPL is shifted,ppl who wanted national attentn,got tat right?Ipo Cauvery Management Board vandhurum la.Only thing thy managed to do is to divert attention frm cauvery to cricket to https://t.co/4QTZ8SBLxm sensible Tamizhan wil supprt thse unruly manipulative selfish methods.

— RJ Balaji (@RJ_Balaji) April 11, 2018

It’s very sad to see the entire state in so much pain and agony.. Everyone is trying so hard to achieve the best outcome for our #CauveryIssue..I jus hope the government doesn’t turn a blind eye to the demands of our people..let peace prevail in this beautiful land #TamilNadu..

— varu sarathkumar (@varusarath) April 12, 2018

Rajinikanth, who had tweeted on Wednesday about how it is shameful to beat up someone in uniform, has since been criticised for it. “The worst form of violence in law and order situation is attack on uniformed personnel on duty.This form of violence has to be tackled immediately as it poses grave danger to our country.We need more stringent laws to punish the perpetrators of attack on police personnel on duty,” he wrote.

Responding to it, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president Thol. Thirumavalavan said that the actor’s response was shocking. “Does he not know the amount of violence that is being unleashed on innocent people everyday by the police? How can he conceal the violence perpetrated by the police and just talk about the violence perpetrated on police?” The Hindu quotes.

Meanwhile, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in Chennai, agitation demanding the formation of the Cauvery Water Management Board has intensified. Kamal Haasan even made an appeal to Modi in a video saying, “My name is Kamal, I am citizen of India. Justice has been given, which has to be implemented by the Centre. So act on it.”

#காவிரி pic.twitter.com/MUQ9MnEAI2

— Sibi (Sathya)raj (@Sibi_Sathyaraj) April 12, 2018

Filmmakers Bharathiraja, Ameer and Vetrimaran even entered the Chennai airport as passengers and protested with black flags.

Kamal Haasan, who runs the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam, has written an open letter to Modi, imploring him to fulfill his duties towards ‘the people of Tamizh Nadu by constituting the Cauvery water Management Board.’

My Open Letter to The Honourable Prime Minister @PMOIndia @narendramodi #KamalAppealToPM pic.twitter.com/P3Vlvzdcqq

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 12, 2018

#GoBackModi hashtag has been trending all day. Black flags and balloons and activists in black shirts and trousers have been out on the streets of Chennai to protest the Prime Minister’s visit.