MNM seeks action against minister for threatening Kamal Haasan

Kamal Haasan

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Vice President R Mahendran and General Secretary A Arunachalam have sought legal action against Tamil Nadu Minister, Rajenthra Bhalaji, for instigating violence against party chief Kamal Haasan.

The duo, along with an advocate and State Executive Committee member, met the Police Commissioner in this regard on Monday.

This comes after Bhalaji, in an election rally in Aravakurichi Assembly constituency on May 13, threatened to "cut off" Haasan's tongue for his remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's killer, Nathuram Godse.

The actor-turned-politician had stirred a controversy the same day by saying that the "first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Gandhi.

In the complaint letter, they alleged that on the instigation of the minister, a group of people attempted an attack on their party chief on May 16 in Kurur district.

"We request you to take on record our complaint against Rajenthra Bhalaji for criminal intimidation, defamation, provocation to breach the peace, incitement, threat to cause grievous hurt and promote enmity among people and take appropriate action against him as per law," the complaint letter stated.

They further requested the Police Commissioner to take their complaint on record against the minister for having committed an offence under section 107, 120A, 152A, 503, 504 and 505 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Madras High Court rapped actor-politician Kamal Haasan for his Hindu extremist remark on Monday, observing that identifying a criminal with religion, caste or race would definitely sow the seeds of hatred among people.

The case has been filed on a complaint by the Hindu Munnani.

The remark had triggered a controversy with the BJP, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and several Hindu outfits condemning Haasan. Cases have been filed against him in Tamil Nadu and New Delhi.

A Tamil Nadu-based outfit has approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to authorities for granting permission to conduct a meeting here to inform the public that Nathuram Godse was a 'Hindu fundamentalist' and Mahatma Gandhi's assassin.

Advocate Doraisamy filed the plea on behalf of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam.

The petition comes against the backdrop of the row triggered by actor-politician Kamal Haasan's remark that free India's first extremist was a Hindu, a reference to Mahatma Gandhi assassin Godse.

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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies