Mekedatu row: MNM chief Kamal Haasan terms TN BJP’s protest against dam project a ‘double act’

The actor-turned-politician said that Tamil Nadu BJP’s protest against Karnataka government’s decision to go ahead with the Mekedatu dam project is nothing but a “double act”.

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Tuesday termed the protest by the Tamil Nadu BJP against Karnataka government’s decision to go ahead with the Mekedatu dam project a “double act”, saying that the saffron party is becoming a corporate company.

The MNM chief likened the BJP to the East India Company and said, “Earlier we had East India Company, now they [the BJP] are creating a North India Company.

Responding to BJP Tamil Nadu call for a hunger strike to protest against Karnataka government’s decision to build a dam at Mekedatu, Kamal Haasan said the BJP is a “two-faced” party.

“Please don’t think I’m boasting, but I’m an actor who has played a lot of double action roles. I’ve done double action in 25-26 movies and, hence, I have can identify anyone who is acting immediately. That’s what they are doing. Both might have different names but both [Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and BJP state unit chief Annamalai] are Bommais [ Tamil for dolls] only of the Central government,” said Kamal Haasan.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday maintained that the state will get the Centre’s approval and implement the Mekedatu drinking water project over the Cauvery river, notwithstanding any opposition from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

His comments came in the wake of newly-appointed Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai announcing that the state unit of the saffron party would protest against Karnataka’s decision to go ahead with the Mekedatu project.