Indian Premier League 2018: Chennai players should wear black badges, says Rajinikanth amid Cauvery water row

Pic courtesy: PTI

Chennai: Tamil film fraternity led by veteran actors-turned-politicians Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth on Sunday observed a silent protest demanding the setting up of a Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC).

The protest organised by the South Indian Film Artistes Association, popularly known as Nadigar Sangam, saw the participation of members of Tamil Film Producers Council and Film Employees Federation of South India.

Leading actors, movie and music directors and other technicians participated in the protest including Illayaraja, Shankar-Ganesh, actors Surya, Vijay, Vishal, Prashanth and others.

#WATCH Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan take part in protest over demand for formation of #CauveryMangementBoard, in Chennai. Music composer Ilayaraja also present. pic.twitter.com/JhIxGxp1QO — ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2018

Chennai: Rajinikanth, Kamal Hassan and Dhanush take part in protest over demand for formation of #CauveryMangementBoard pic.twitter.com/HCY7RTiGLv

— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2018

Earlier, speaking to reporters outside his residence, Rajinikanth said the central government will earn the wrath of Tamil Nadu people if the CMB and CWRC were not set up.

He also said the players of Chennai team should wear black badges while playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches so that the issue was known throughout the nation. The Tamil superstar added that spectators too should wear black badges.

Meanwhile, as per reports, a few IPL matches of the present season might be held in Kerala. The matches that could be held in Kerala include those involving Chennai and Bangalore teams - to be held in Chennai and Bengaluru.

Kerala Cricket Association Jayesh George told the media on Sunday that talks for these changes have already begun.

"Last night, Chennai team CEO KS Viswanathan spoke to me about this and today top officials of the BCCI and IPL, including Amitabh Choudhary and Rajeev Shukla, also talked to me. We have expressed our willingness to stage some T20 matches in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. We will hear from them in the next few days," he said, as per IANS.

The Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram could be the most likely venue if Kerala is allotted any of the matches as the Kochi venue which was the home ground of the Kochi team in 2011 could take a while before it could be match-ready.

The Greenfield Stadium had staged India vs New Zealand T20 in 2017.

(With Agency inputs)