Kamal Haasan queries why J& K plebiscite not held earlier, faces flak

■ Kamal Haasan disagrees with calls for strike on Pak

Chennai, Feb. 18: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan has said a plebiscite could have been an option in Jammu and Kashmir earlier to foster peace and disagreed with calls for an immediate surgical strike to avenge the Pulwama killings.

Sharing some of his random thoughts on the Kashmir issue at an event here largely attended by students Sunday, the actor- cum- politician deprecated ‘ jihadists’ being glorified in Pakistan.

He also indicated casualties can be avoided if the leadership of India and Pakistan “behaved properly”. “Why plebiscite — to get to know everyone’s Kamal Haasan

view — was not held there. Why it was not done? what is their fear? The country was ripped apart into two ( India and Pakistan). Why don’t you ask them ( the people of J& K) again, they ( the political leadership) won’t do it,” he said.

On the recent killing of 40 CRPF jawans at Pulwama, he said: “If there is bleeding, the first job is to stop it... To talk immediately of surgery ( indicating surgical strike was not an option) is... ( pauses for a moment).” In the same breath, he said, “.. Surgery should also be arranged... Okay but when there is blood loss, place cloth or ice to ensure coagulation, so that there is no further loss ( of blood).”

“I mourn this day,” he said and recalled that years ago when he ran a magazine he had predicted “exactly,” that such things would happen in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Haasan condemned jihadists being glorified by putting them on a stature similar to that of sport stars in Pakistan.

In so- called “Azad Kashmir,” big posters on trains could be seen glorifying jihadists and “that is madness too.” India should not repeat such a madness and we have to “prove that India is far better country.”

On the Pulwama attack, he said killing 40 CRPF personnel was ‘ heinous’, “but considering that, if your parents tell you to not join the Army, just tell them that more people die in road accidents in Tamil Nadu than in the Army.”

He recalled that when he made this pointed observation at the Officers Training Academy here earlier, they were very happy.