Chennai, February 5: Superstar Rajinikanth on Wednesday defended the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Population (NPR), saying Indian citizens will not be affected. Asserting that the CAA is not a threat to Indian Muslims, Rajinikanth said: "Citizenship Amendment Act will not affect any citizen of our country. If it affects Muslims, then I will be the first person to stand up for them."

Terming the NPR "essential", Rajinikanth echoed the government's view that no decision has been taken on the National Register of Citizens or NRC so far. "NPR is a necessity to find out about the outsiders. It has been clarified that NRC has not been formulated yet," he said. The actor-turned-politician is expected to jump into the electoral fray before the Tamil Nadu election next year. Rajinikanth Refuses to Apologise For 'Nude Images of Lord Ram And Sita Were Displayed in Periyar's Rally' Statement.

Rajinikanth also urged students to join protests only after analysing the subjects and discussing with their professors. In December, he had expressed concern over violence in various parts of the country over the amended citizenship law, saying: "The ongoing violence gives me great pain."

"Violence and rioting should not become a way to find solution for any issue. I request the people of India to stay united and vigilant keeping in mind the nation's security and welfare. The ongoing violence gives me great pain," he had tweeted.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2020 12:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).