Refuting Lyca Production’s charges, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) said their motive was not to oppose Rajinikanth’s visit to Sri Lanka, but only asked him to reconsider his trip since the atmosphere was not “conducive.” 

“Our motive is not to oppose Rajinikanth or Lyca or seek publicity. If Lyca thinks so, it is sheer imagination,” VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan said, while appreciating the superstar for his “maturity” in understanding the issue in the right context.

Meanwhile,  Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan said the actor should have gone to Lanka to hand over the houses to the Tamils there. 

“I will appreciate whoever does good for the Tamils,” he said. Radhakrishnan tweeted that he would appreciate anyone who does good for Tamils. Even during his interaction with mediapersons in Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district where he is presently touring, Radhakrishnan did not find any reason to find fault with purport of Rajinikanth’s visit.

The actor had on Saturday announced to cancel his visit in the wake of calls by political parties.  BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan speaking in similar vein had said that the superstar could have undertaken the visit to the island nation as it was meant to give away houses to the Lankan Tamils.

Earlier in the day, VCK leader Thirumavalavan In a statement said, “It is laughable if one believes opposing Rajinikanth’s Sri Lanka visit or an anti-Lyca stand will endear people to them. In fact, the fears of Tamils in the Northern Province is that the Sinhala rulers are trying to derive political mileage out of the issue,” he said in a statement.

TVK leader Velmurugan also denied he was raking up the issue for publicity.

“Actually, we had requested Rajinikanth through a close friend, asking him to not to attend the event as it would be politicised by the Lankan government for its own advantage. We never had anything to do with Lyca,” he said.

 -Deccan Chronicle