By IANS
Chennai : Tamil Nadu’s Leader of Opposition J. Jayalalitha termed as shameful Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s request to movie icon Rajnikant to “convince his saint-friends” to desist from opposing the Sethusamudram project.
“Despite his experience of being the state’s chief minister for several times, it is shameful on the part of Karunanidhi to request this kind of endorsement,” the AIADMK chief told journalists.
“The Sethu project is as good as dropped because the main funding agencies – Axis Bank and the central government – are no longer willing to finance the project, whose costs have skyrocketed beyond the Rs.4,000 crore (Rs.40 billion) limit,” Jayalalitha said.
The state’s ruling DMK is pressing the project, envisaging a shipping canal in the sea dividing India and Sri Lanka. However, it has been opposed by many, including some Hindu groups that say it will destroy a bridge built in the Ramayana era.
Addressing a film industry function Tuesday night, Karunanidhi said: “I am not against Lord Ram. I only want the fructification of the Sethusamudram project in order to place the state on the path of development. I hope Rajni will convince his saint friends in the north in this regard.”