Chennai: On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that no Hindu can ever be a terrorist, actor-politician Kamal Haasan defended his remarks that Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, was free India’s first Hindu extremist saying he had only stated a “historical fact”.
The actor also separately moved the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) seeking anticipatory bail as he feared arrest in connection with a case registered over his remarks. Campaigning for his Makkal Needhi Maiam”s candidate in the Tirupparankundram Assembly by-poll in Madurai, Kamal Haasan for the first time defended his remarks made on Sunday about Godse being a Hindu extremist.
“I stated only a historical fact. My speech never instigated any religious clash. The media edited the ”wrong” portion of my speech and played it over and over again. I had only used the word ”extremist” when I could have very well referred to Godse as a terrorist or a murderer,” he said. “Our speech will reveal our intensity but there will be no violence,” he added.
If a historical fact pointed out “hurts you, then this wound will never get cured,” he said urging people to “accept” other religions. He would never ask people to “tolerate” other religions but accept them. The actor added that he and his family members were Hindu Vaishavaites. High security was provided to Haasan for the campaign while police force was posted at his house in Chennai.
