Kamal Haasan slammed for ‘politicising’ Kalam on eve of party launch
The BJP and Hindu Munnani have asked the actor to refrain from embarking on his political journey from the birthplace of former president Abdul Kalam, who they described as a ‘scholarly person above petty politics’.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and several Hindu organisations have objected to Tamil actor Kamal Haasan’s plan to launch his political journey from former president APJ Abdul Kalam’s birthplace on Wednesday.
BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathy exhorted Haasan to refrain from “politicising” Kalam by using Ramanathapuram as his launchpad. “Kamal Haasan should not try to play politics in the name of Abdul Kalam. If he does that, every political party will do it too, turning Kalam’s birthplace into a hub of political tourism and belittling his persona,” he said.
The Hindu Munnani, which described Kalam as a scholarly person above petty politics, also found fault with Haasan picking the former president’s alma mater as a means to fulfil his political ambitions.
The actor, however, remains undeterred. He is all set to commence his political journey from the city early on Wednesday, in the company of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. People familiar with the development say the AAP leader, who called on Haasan in Chennai last September, has confirmed his participation. He will later announce the name of the party and unfurl its flag at a rally in Madurai, located 120 km from Ramanathapuram.
Haasan has already reached Madurai, and will soon proceed to Kalam’s birthplace for the launch.
Kejriwal and Haasan have come together on several issues, including corruption-alleviation measures, in the past. But it remains to be seen if the two will work together in Tamil Nadu, where AAP remains a non-starter.
Haasan has already visited several senior political leaders and well-wishers from various political parties, including the CPI(M), in the run-up to his entry into politics. He also called on political personalities such as DMDK leader Vijayakanth, DMK chief M Karunanidhi and Naam Tamilar Katchi president Seeman to seek their blessings.
DMK working president MK Stalin, however, remained sceptical of Haasan’s political future. “The DMK is like a banyan tree with strong roots and branches. It cannot be shaken by anyone. Parties may come during a season, but they are like paper flowers that don’t have fragrance. They will wither soon,” he told party workers in a letter on Tuesday.