Chennai: Tamil actor-politician Kamal Haasan elicited strong criticism from the BJP for describing Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse as free India’s first Hindu “extremist”.
The BJP has moved the Election Commission and sought a five-day ban on the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder, restraining him from campaigning in the by-elections to four Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu that go to the polls on May 19.
Campaigning for his party’s candidate in western Tamil Nadu on Sunday night, Kamal Haasan said, “Free India’s first extremist was a Hindu. Nathuram Godse is his name. It (Hindu extremism) starts there. I am Gandhi’s great grandson at heart. You can take it that I have come here to question that murder.”
Kamal Haasan used the Tamil word “theevaravadhi” (extremist) to describe Godse and not bayankaravadhi (terrorist). He went on to state that India was all about equality. “The three colours (representing three faiths) of the Indian flag must remain intact.
That is the desire of a good Indian. I will say with pride that I am a good Indian,” he added. The actor, whose MNM is facing its maiden elections, said that, “I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi.”
Soon after a video clip of his remarks went viral online on Monday, Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundarara-jan took offence and said it was wrong for Haasan to have described Godse as a “Hindu extremist” in a locality that had a dominating presence of Muslims.
While she made it clear that Gandhi’s assassination was a heinous crime for which Godse was hanged to death, Tamilisai said though the actor-politician spoke of a new brand of politics, he continued to indulge in “old, mischievous, poisonous and divisive vote bank politics.” She demanded that Haasan be banned from campaigning and police take action against him.
Later in the day, BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay moved the EC seeking a five-day ban on campaigning by Haasan. The BJP’s complaint said, “It is necessary to state that the statement was made in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain, which is clearly a corrupt practice under Section 123 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.”
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji, known for courting controversies, said actor- politician Kamal Haasan’s tongue should be cut for his ‘Godse was a Hindu’ remark. Addressing journalists in Thoothukudi, Bhalaji said Shani was now sitting on Haasan’s tongue. “He has spoken that the first extremist was a Hindu in a town where Hindus are in a majority. Extremism has no religion.
Extremists can’t be Hindus, Muslims or Christians. They are extremists.” Accusing the actor of trying to get the votes of minorities by saying that the first extremist was a Hindu, he said, “They are definitely going to cut actor Kamal Haasan’s tongue one day.”
He questioned why the actor was blabbering. “He is spewing venom in every word that he utters each day. The Election Commission must ban him from campaigning for seeking to incite violence,” the Minister said. Bhalaji was recently in the news for describing PM Modi as “AIADMK’s daddy”.