Actor turned politician Kamal Haasan, the new entrant into the political fray in India has triggered a massive controversy with his ‘Hindu terrorist’ remark on Nathuram Godse. In the latest, chappals (slippers) were hurled towards a vehicle from which Kamal Haasan was addressing an election meeting in the Tirupparankundram Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu, Wednesday.
One person has been detained, the police said, furthering that the chappals missed the target and fell on the crowd.
After widespread outrage against his remark, Haasan has now justified what he said by calling it a ‘historical truth’.
In his first response after the remarks that landed him in trouble with court and police cases, Haasan urged his critics to make “valid allegations”, asking if he could cater to only one section of people after entering active politics. “They got angry for what I spoke at Aravakurichi. What I spoke (there) is a historical truth. I did not lure anyone to a brawl,” he said during a by-poll campaign at Tirupurankundram near Madurai. He said truth would triumph like the “historic truth I mentioned” and not caste and religion.
“Understand the meaning for the word extremist. I could have used the word terrorist or murderer (against Godse), ours is active politics, there won’t be any violence,” he furthered.
Haasan insisted that his detractors reacted and made allegations against him without listening to his entire speech at Aravakurichi. “In Aravakurichi I said independent India’s first extremist was a Hindu. It is a historical truth,” he stated. He further added that all his family members were Hindus and that he would not speak in a manner which would hurt their beliefs. He said the truth will always be bitter and that bitterness will turn into medicine.
It is notable here that Haasan was campaigning in a Muslim majority area when he had made the remark.
Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM) chief, Kamal Haasan, while addressing an election rally on Sunday had said that Independent India’s first terrorist was a Hindu and his name was Nathuram Godse. This remark had triggered a huge controversy.
Haasan has now moved an anticipatory bail petition before the Madras High Court bench, after Justice B Pugalendhi refused to entertain his earlier petition, seeking quashing of an FIR against him. Justice Pugalendhi had stated that the court could not get involved at the current stage of events.
This development came after the Karur police booked the actor under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity with his outlandish remark. The complaint was given against him by Hindu Munnani’s Karur district secretary, KV Ramakrishnan.
While the BJP also filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (EC) against Kamal Haasan for his ‘Hindu terrorist’ remark on Nathuram Godse, the Congress had extended support to Haasan’s comment.
A complaint filed by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay said that the statement was intended to outrage religious feelings of millions of Hindus. Upadhyay said the speech has also breached the Model Code of Conduct as no one can appeal to caste or communal feelings to secure votes. According to reports, BJP has accused Hasaan of misusing religion for electoral gains.
However, this is not the first time that Haasan has landed himself in a controversy. Earlier, we had reported how the actor-turned-politician had been called out on social media for his controversial comment demanding a plebiscite in Kashmir. He had referred to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as ‘Azad Kashmir’ but was forced to make a U-turn after his comments were called out on social media. Like the Godse remark, Kamal Haasan had also claimed that his plebiscite remark was also taken out of context.
