Dam row:Tamil Filim Bharathiraaja to lead protest demo tomorrow


Saturday, 24 December 2011: Renowned film director Bharathiraaja will led a protest demonstration involving Tamil film artistes here on Christmas Day urging the Centre to immediately deploy CISF protection to the contentious Mullaiperiyar Dam, which has of late fuelled tensions between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The agitation would be organised underthe banner of an NGO ‘May 17 Movement’ at the Marina beach, Bharatiraaja told reporters here today.
The protests by Tamil film artistes comes at a time when political parties likes the MDMK and the DMDK of actor Vijayakanth announcing black flag agitations against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the State on December 26 to condemn the Centre for its inaction in the wake of Kerala’s adamant attitude to decommision the dam citing that it was weak and construct a new one.
Bharathiraaja, who had organised agitations in the past on the Cauvery and Sri Lankan Tamils issue, said the demonstration was also to demand the arrest of all those involved in the attack of Tamils in Kerala following escalating tensions between the two states.
Appealing to people from all walks of life to sink their differences and remain united on this emotive issue, he said the southern Tamil Nadu would become a grave yard if Kerala went ahead with its decision to decommission the existing dam.
Reports said the Tamil Nadu Film Directors’ Association was also planning a fast at Theni district on the isuues in which several Tamil film personalities, political leaders and traders’ bodies were likely to participate.

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