Chennai: In comments that may snowball into a controversy amid tensions over the Pulwama terror attack, actor-turned-political Kamal Haasan on Monday questioned why the government had not yet held a plebiscite in Kashmir.
Speaking at an event in the city, Makkal Needhi Maiam leader said, “Hold a plebiscite and make people talk. Why have they not conducted it? What are they scared of?”
“In Azad Kashmir (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), they are using jihadis’ pictures in trains to portray them as heroes. That is a foolish thing to do. India also behaves with equal amount of foolishness. It's not fair. If we want to prove that India is a far better country, then we should not behave like this. There begins the politics, there beings the new political culture,” he said.
Condemning the deaths of 40 CRPF jawans in Pulwama, Haasan said he had predicted such an eventuality while writing on Kashmir.
“Why should a soldier die? If politicians on both sides behave properly, there is no need for a soldier to die. The line of control will be under control… When I was running a magazine called 'Maiyam', I wrote about the Kashmir issue and what is to be expected. I mourn this day because I predicted that this is what will happen. I should have predicted something else,” he said.
Shortly after his remarks were reported in the media, his party issued a statement, saying Haasan’s remarks had been taken out of context.
“Our President and our Party stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the armed forces in his hour of grief… We firmly believe that entire Kashmir is an integral part of India and we stand firmly with our armed forces, para-military and central police forces who defend it selflessly,” the statement said.
It added that Haasan’s purpoted remarks were made in the context of a magazine article published three decades ago and is no longer relevant or indication of the party position today.
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