Kamal Haasan has threatened a non-cooperation movement if the Cauvery Management Board isn't set up.
Kamal Haasan, the superstar who launched his political party just two months ago, has mounted his sharpest attack yet on Tamil Nadu's ruling party AIADMK and its leaders over the delay in setting up the Cauvery Management Board ordered by the Supreme Court. Mr Haasan also took on the central government for dragging its feet, stressing that his party could be sarcastic in taking swipes at the parties but "will not be disrespectful".
The actor-politician had travelled over 300 km from state capital Chennai to the heartland of the once-fertile Cauvery delta region to speak his mind on the 120-year-old water dispute at his massive public meeting.
But he didn't only talk about politics had held back the water from farmers but also used the platform to outline his newly-minted party's agenda and send a clear message that he was aiming for a lead role in Tamil Nadu politics.
"My office bearers may appear over-enthusiastic projecting me as Chief Minister," Mr Haasan, who switched to politics after a five-decade long career in films. But, he quickly added, "we can fly only if dream to fly".
The ruling AIADMK led by Chief Minister E Palaniswami was Mr Haasan's prime target, accusing the state government of trying to hide behind the centre and make the people of the state beg for water.
"We can wake up those who sleep but not those who feign to be asleep," he said, threatening to lead a non-cooperation movement, quite like the one freedom fighters launched against the British, to make them see reason. "The country will shake if Tamil Nadu launches non-cooperation," he said, turning to the centre.
But as he spoke about "our right to get water due to us", he also underlined that Tamil Nadu's farmers also had to do more to conserve the water that they got.
"Tamil Nadu receives more rainfall than other states... We've to conserve water, build dams, desilt lakes and use drip irrigation," he told the several thousand people who had gathered to listen to him.
Mr Haasan, who detailed setting up a Lokayukta , his commitment to 69 per cent job and education quotas", police reforms and a corruption-free government on the top of his party's agenda, also kept his options open to join hands with other right parties at the "right time if required".
Mr Haasan, who along with the other aspiring politician, superstar Rajinikanth are seen to be aspiring to fill a leadership vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics following former chief minister J Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016 and with DMK leader M Karunanidhi politically inactive because of poor health.
For now, AIADMK leaders have been running him down, predicting his failure in the new day job.
Mr Haasan delivered his stinging comeback at the public meeting, calling Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar who has led the attack on him, as someone who "performs as my unpaid publicist".
"I can't act like him (Mr Jayakumar)," he said.
To the huge crowds who had gathered at the grounds in the heart of Trichy, Mr Haasan promised that he never did politics in film. "Now, I will not act in politics," he added.