'There was no Tamil Nadu back then': BJP hits back at Kamal Haasan

Bengaluru: The BJP on Sunday punctured Kamal Haasan's argument that Raja Raja Cholan was not Hindu saying that there was no Tamil Nadu back when the king was in power.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national organisational secretary, BL Santosh was responding to Kamal Hassan's statement days ago that Raja Raja Chola was not Hindu, according to India Today.

BL Santosh asked how Raja Raja Chola could be a Dravida king when there was no concept of Tamil Nadu at the time.

Kamal Haasan seconded director Vetrimaran's argument that Raja Raja Chola was not Hindu king, and Kamal Haasan added to it that there was no Hindu religion either during Chola era.

BL Santosh countered Kamal stating that Raja Raja Chola created the Brihadeeshwara temple in Tamil Nadu, and "fools" started a debate over whether he was Hindu.

There were only the Chola dynasty, the Pallava dynasty and the Pandya dynasty, and no Tamil Nadu of today, he said.

The controversy, boiling over since Kamal's statement, has got a new turn today with BL Santosh saying that Dravida issue is but political issue for selfish political reasons. He termed dravida politics a sum total of "corruption and favouritism."

Director Vetrimaran ignited the controversy at an event alleging Saffronisatiion of Valluvar as well as saying that Raja Raja Cholan was not a Hindu.

BJP leader H Raja was quick to respond to the director saying Raja Raja Cholan was a Hindu king.