BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, who filed the complaint, said that Haasan’s statement was intended to outrage religious feelings of Hindus and also breached the Model Code of Conduct.
(Photo: IANS)
A day after Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief and actor Kamal Haasan said that the first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu, referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Monday, moved the Election Commission (EC) seeking a five-day ban on Haasan.
According to the complaint Haasan said, “The first terrorist post India’s independence is a Hindu.” Haasan had made the remarks while campaigning in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, who filed the complaint, said that Haasan’s statement was intended to outrage religious feelings of Hindus and also breached the Model Code of Conduct.
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“It is necessary to state that the statement was made deliberately in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain, which is clearly a corrupt practice under Section 123 (3) the Representation of the People Act 1951,” said the complaint, urging the EC to invoke Article 324 of the Constitution and restrict Haasan from campaigning for at least five days, lodge an FIR against him under respective sections of IPC and take steps to de-register his political party.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Haasan had said that he is seeking answers for that murder.
“I am not saying this because many Muslims are here. I’m saying this in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. First terrorist in independent India is a Hindu – his name is Nathuram Godse,” Haasan had said at an election rally in support of his party candidate in Aravakurichi Assembly constituency where the by-elections will be held on May 19.
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