‘I will get back to my criticism of parties but this is not the time for it’
The actor and founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam says it is now the moment for people from all sections to come together in the fight against fascism because the way things move forward will decide what tint the country’s politics will have
Actor and founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam, Kamal Haasan, on Thursday said he would come back to his criticism of political parties but this was not the right time to move in that direction. Answering queries from journalists and board members of The Hindu, Mr. Haasan explained why he had decided to back the DMKled INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha polls after having projected himself as an alternative to the Dravidian parties. Excerpts:
Could you first tell us what led you to launch your political party?
As a Narpani Iyakkam (welfare movement of his fans), we copied Rotary Club, Lions Club or whatever we could...we didn’t reinvent the wheel. But then, slowly over 3540 years, we found that the buck stopped at the political table, always. We couldn’t move any further. Any good we wanted to do had to be done through laws. Slowly over time, I thought this (politics) is the best way to go forward. I was averse to politics, like most upper middle class people, which, I think, is a social sin now. And entering politics is not infra dig, because we always associated it with corruption, avarice and all that. It need not be that. There will be corruption but sacrifice and vision will also be there. So, I chose to participate, and that’s how I came into politics.
How do you see yourself in the 2024 Lok Sabha election?
This is precisely the moment where I will have to justify the name of my party. Great equipoise and equilibrium is required now. We have to think about the people. That’s very important. 2024 election is very important because it will drift away from a certain vision we had decided for the country. This is a crucial moment – how we move forward will decide what tint the country’s politics will have.
You supporting the DMK after criticising them harshly by “throwing the remote at the television” and not fighting elections, isn’t that strange?
Very simple: the TV, cinema, cricket... all can wait. My TV remote and the TV can wait. I will get back to it. Right now, this is not the time. I will get back to my criticism. I have done it before. But, right now, there is a requirement to go in this direction. It has happened before during the Independence struggle: we had people of various ilk coming together and fight against imperialism. Now, it is a fight against fascism. There are times when you should do this and do that (fight elections). I love Periyar’s ideology and also that of Gandhiji. If you pull back, the purpose seems very similar. If you go further, you find Ramanuja’s purpose, Gandhiji’s purpose and Periyar’s purpose all smudge together with one social purpose. Right now, the important battle ahead of us is for the whole nation. Instead of only criticising anything in the Opposition, I thought this is a good enough reason for now to appease my conscience and I have supported them.
Opinion polls have predicted a clear advantage for the BJP...
I have never predicted... even when I had invested in my movies. We cannot underestimate the voter who may not literate enough to read an editorial from The Hindu, but somewhere he might speak the same language... he understands and that’s why we were able to stitch the nation together.
I am very confident that, as the old adage goes, you can fool some people for some time, not all of them all the time. They will strongly come with a voice. I would love a 390 in Tamil Nadu.
What’s your take on Rahul Gandhi as the leader of the INDIA bloc?
It is the present situation that frightens me. We should look beyond the personalities and use anyone willing to do the required deed to move this forward. We need a symbol and that’s him... right now.
What is your view on the CentreState relations and Governors overstepping their mandate?
You cannot simply say that the Hindi is the national language because a majority of the people speak it. But, it is not traitorous to say that English is a useful language. English is useful... apart from that... languages should flourish. This is how I see CentreState relationship to be... not through emissaries like the Governor. They are acting like the propaganda secretaries for the party. It is one thing to talk about corruption and refuse to reinstate an under trial Minister, but he is impeding the progress of the State by not passing 1718 legislations. And he is from the Centre. His commitment should be to this State and the progress of it. They are saying that Dravidianism will be destroyed, but as long as national anthem is there, Dravidianism will exist.