It is advisable not to arrest me, says Kamal Haasan

Even as his anticipatory bail petition is pending before the Madras High Court for his ‘Hindu terrorist’ speech, actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Friday said it is advisable not to arrest him.

Speaking to reporters, the founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party said: “I am not afraid of getting arrested. At the same time, there will be tension if I am arrested. Hence it is better if I am not arrested.”

Haasan said he was not making a request not to arrest him but it was an advice not to take him into custody.

Queried about DMK and others parties not coming to his support, Haasan said they may be having their own agenda.

On Sunday, at the Aravakuruchi Assembly constituency, Haasan, while campaigning for his party candidate, said about the killer of Mahatma Gandhi: “The first extremist of independent India was a Hindu — Nathuram Godse. It all started from there.”

The statement drew angry responses from the BJP.

According to Haasan, he had made a similar statement in an election campaign earlier but only now the matter was blown up.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that no Hindu could be a terrorist, Haasan said history and historians will give an answer to that. “It is said that Modi is knowledgeable. He knows everything. I need not respond to his statement.”

Indo-Asian News Service