Criminal complaint against Kamal Haasan for ‘India's first terrorist was Hindu’ remark

The actor-turned-politician's remarks had drawn condemnation from the BJP, which accused him of indulging in "divisive politics", but found the backing of the Congress and the Dravidar Kazhagam.

Addressing an election campaign on Sunday night, Haasan said he was one of those "proud Indians" who desires an India with equality and where the "three colours" in the tricolour, an obvious reference to different faiths, "remained intact." (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)

Aravakurichi/New Delhi: A criminal complaint was filed in a Delhi's Patiala House Court on Tuesday against actor-politician Kamal Haasan after he said independent India's first "extremist was a Hindu". The complaint was filed for allegedly 'hurting religious sentiments of Hindus by associating terrorism with Hindu religion in Tamil Nadu on May 12'. Haasan stoked a controversy on Monday asserting that an "assassin" is very different from a terrorist. The BJP had accused the Makkal Needhi Maiyam founder of indulging in "divisive politics" and following the Congress and Communists in showing Hindus "in a bad light to appease minorities". Addressing an election campaign in Tamil Nadu's Aravakurichi on Sunday night, Haasan said he was one of those "proud Indians" who desires an India of equality and where the "three colours in the tricolour remained intact", in an obvious reference to different faiths. "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Independent India's first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts," he said. Haasan said he was a "self-assumed great-grandson" of Gandhi and that he had come here "seeking answers for that murder," referring to Gandhi's assassination in 1948. Haasan's comments drew sharp reactions with the state BJP unit approaching the Election Commission seeking action against him for alleged "gross violation" of the Model Code of Conduct. Reacting strongly Tamil Nadu Minister K T Rajenthra Bhalaji, known for his outspoken remarks on various issues, said,"his tongue should be cut of..he has said (free India's first extremist) was a Hindu. Extremism has no religion, neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian." Bhalaji, a senior AIADMK leader, also sought a ban on MNM for "sowing violence" and accused Haasan of "acting" to garner minority votes. Actor Vivek Oberoi slammed Haasans remarks, saying both art and terror "have no religion". "Dear Kamal sir, you are a great artist. Just like art has no religion, terror has no religion either! You can say Godse was a terrorist, why would you specify Hindu ? Is it because you were in a Muslim dominated area looking for votes?," he asked in a tweet. "Please sir, from a much smaller artist to a great one, lets not divide this country, we are one Jai Hind..#AkhandBharat #UnDividedIndia," he added. Oberoi, who played Narendra Modi in a biopic on the Prime Minister, said no one "should divide the country." Earlier too, Haasan had triggered a row, when in November 2017, he took potshots at what he termed as "Hindu extremism", which drew condemnation from the BJP and Hindu outfits. Aravakurichi is one of the four Assembly constituencies where bypolls are scheduled on May 19. MNM has fielded S Mohanraj from this segment. WATCH VIDEO: First terrorist in Independent India was a Hindu, says Kamal Haasan