Rajinikanth row: Mahinda Rajapaksa's son taunts Tamil Nadu netas, Lyca 'saddened'

CHENNAI: A day after actor Rajinikanth cancelled his visit to Sri Lanka, after some pro-Tamil outfits urged him to withdraw from a charity event organised by Lyca Group's Gnanam Foundation next month, bowing to pressure from pro-Tamil outfits MDMK, VCK and others, former Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Namal jumped into the controversy.
On Sunday, Namal Rajapaksa alleged that TN politicians have done little for Tamils there except for politicizing the issue every election.

"True nature of Tamil Nadu politicians is revealed again. They won't allow anyone, even @superstarrajini, to help #SriLanka's Tamil people," he tweeted. Following that, in an interview to Times Now channel, he said, "What have the TN politicians done for Sri Lankan Tamils? They have done nothing. They are only talking about it. They are only criticising the Sri Lankan government."

"They block and stop when people try to come and help Sri Lankan Tamils. If there is election around the corner...they bring Sri Lankan Tamil issue up," he alleged.
Rajinikanth was scheduled to hand over the homes built by Lyca Group's Gnanam Foundation for displaced Tamils in northern Jaffna on April 9-10. Lyca Productions, owned by Subashkaran Allirajah, is producing the actor's latest sci-fi movie "2.0", a sequel to his earlier "Enthiran".
In a statement, the actor said he took the decision to cancel the visit after MDMK chief Vaiko, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) leader T Velmurugan asked him to consider withdrawing from the programme. The actor said although he "could not wholeheartedly accept what they said", he will not attend the event.
In 2014 various Tamil outfits, including VCK and TVK, had opposed Lyca Productions' Tamil movie "Kaththi". They alleged that Allirajah had close business ties with then Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa, who is often criticised in TN for the death of civilian Tamils during the final battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.
Meanwhile, Lyca, on Sunday, said they were "saddened by the development of a negative environment surrounding the aid programmes of a charity to further the political gain of some elements" and also denied links with the Rajapaksa family.
A statement from Lyca’s Gnanam Foundation said "Lyca Gnanam Village was created to provide permanent housing for 150 families who had previously been living in a refugee camp in Vavuniya for more than three decades".
"Superstar Rajinikanth was invited to take part in this momentous charity event and he readily agreed, considering this an opportunity to meet the Tamil people and share his love for them," the statement said.
Asserting that they did not want “the Superstar subjected to an uncomfortable and embarrassing situation”, they said that the April 9 events and Rajinikanth’s visit to Sri Lanka have been cancelled. The foundation, however, confirmed that Lyca Gnanam Village "will be officially opened as planned on April 10 and the houses will be handed over to the recipients".
It also reiterated it had no business ties with Rajapaksa. "It is a well-known fact that numerous baseless rumours have been fabricated by our business competitors, stating that we have a business relationship with the past Rajapaksa regime. Our continuous actions to date have proved that such reports are untrue and unfounded," the statement said.
Lyca Production sent a notice to TVK leader T Velmurugan for alleged defamatory comments made by him on a live TV news channel debate on Lyca's alleged "nexus" with Rajapaksa. On Sunday evening, Thirumavalavan told reporters, "Rajinikanth's trip should not give the impression that the ruling Sinhalese government is doing good for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. That is the only reason why we opposed his visit."