Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan’s recent description of Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, as free India’s first extremist, who was a Hindu, triggered a controversy nationwide. Tamil Nadu Dairy Development Minister K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji went to the extent of saying that the actor-politician’s tongue should be cut off. In a telephonic interview with The Hindu, MNM vice-president R. Mahendran questions the Chief Minister’s failure to reprimand his Cabinet colleague and the DMK’s silence on the issue. Excerpts:
Probably for the first time in Tamil Nadu, a political party leader – Kamal Haasan – was not allowed to campaign (in Sulur) citing potential law and order issue. Did your leader not realise the consequence of his remarks on Godse’s religion?
This is not a matter of (him not realising the) consequence. It was only a simple statement of a historical fact. The same was mentioned on the last day of the campaign for the Parliamentary elections i.e. April 16 in Chennai near Marina. So, refusing permission to campaign, we feel is a biased decision. The police report that his visit would create a law and order problem was not based on facts or ground reality.
But, was it appropriate for Mr. Haasan to have made such observations when the Model Code of Conduct was in place?