Latest Politics News
Kamal Haasan booked for Godse remark, his party says comment taken out of context
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A day after actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan was booked by Tamil Nadu police for hurting religious sentiments, the Delhi High Court today (Wednesday, May 15) dismissed a petition against him for his remarks on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse saying he was free India’s first terrorist and he was Hindu.
The High Court told the petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay should approach the appropriate forum as the incident took place in Tamil Nadu. Post-dismissal, the court asked the Tamil Nadu Election Commission to consider the petitioner’s representation.
A BJP leader, Upadhyay had moved a PIL before the bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice AJ Bhambhani of the Delhi High Courtseeking directions to the EC to “restrict” misuse of religion for poll gains.
Upadhyay, also a lawyer, alleged Haasan “deliberately” made the statement in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gains.The petition contended this was “clearly a corrupt practice under Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1951.”
“As per Model Code of Conduct, no party or candidate can indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic. Similarly, there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes.
“Haasan has violated the Model Code of Conduct in addition to Section 123(3) of the RPA 1951.Kamal Haasan is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and brotherhood,which is an offence under section 153A of IPC. It is a deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of millions of Hindus, which is an offence under section 295A IPC,” it claimed.
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It also said that despite the alleged misuse of religion for electoral gain by Haasan, the EC has not done anything in this regard yet.
The High Court’s dismissal of this petition comes a day after Haasan’s party MakkalNeedhiMaiam (MNM) issued a statement claiming that the speech was being circulated with a view to promote enmity amongst people. MNM said the party chief’s speech had “been taken completely out of context with a malafide intent”.
The same day, two days afterHaasan’s statement on Sunday, the Aravakurichi police in Karur district of Tamil Nadu registered a case against him, based on a complaint lodged by Hindu Munnani district secretary KV Ramakrishnan. The case has been registered under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings).
A Hindu Sena activist has also moved the court in Delhi, seeking Haasan’s prosecution for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by terming Godse as a “Hindu extremist.” The matter is likely to be listed before a Metropolitan Magistrate tomorrow, May 16.
MNM issued a statement to say, “In the speech, Mr Kamal Haasan was calling for religious tolerance and co-existence amongst all religious groups and condemned extremism in whichever form and religion.”
“This has been taken absolutely out of context and the speech has been painted as anti-Hindu, with a malafied intent. This has created complete confusion and utmost anxiety among many common citizens who are not privy to this larger conspiracy,” the press release read.
Calling for a neutral and fair position on the controversy, the party urged media to play the entire speech in order to vindicate Haasan’s stand and to expose the malicious intent of certain groups.
Also Read: Nathuram Godse, a Hindu, was independent India’s first terrorist: Kamal Haasan
Haasan’s statement was also condemned by various political parties including BJP, AIADMK and AMMK. On Tuesday, MNM general secretary had also issued a notice calling for the dismissal of Milk and Dairy Development Minister KT RajenthraBhalaji for saying that Haasan’s tongue should be cut for his remarks. Curiously, that statement from the minister was not termed hate speech nor did it invite any legal action.
The party further clarified in the release that while it upheld the rule of law and the courts’ orders, it will continue to voice its opinion in this regard.
Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj India defended Haasan’s statement, pointing out that it was an apt reply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement, also in an election rally, invoking religion.
Yadav tweeted: “PM asked in Wardha:”Is there a single instance in history when a Hindu committed an act of terror?” @ikamalhaasan has answered: Yes,his name is Nathuram Godse. What’s wrong here? Wasn’t it what we now call terror? Was he not Hindu? What’s the fuss about?”
The MNM chief also found support from AsaduddinOwaisi, the firebrand AIMIM leader. “The one who killed Mahatma Gandhi, whom we regard as Father of the Nation, what do we call him? We call him Mahatma or ”rakshas” (demon)? Call him terrorist or assassin?” he said.
“If not calling the person who killed Bapu as terrorist, what else will you call him?” he told reporters at Hyderabad.
Haasan had said on Sunday that “free India’s first extremist was a Hindu”, referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi.
“I am not saying this because this is Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Free India’s first extremist was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it (extremism, apparently) starts,” he said in bypoll-bound Aravakurichi.
BJP and AIADMK condemned him for his remarks, though Congress and rationalist outfit DravidarKazhagam backed him.
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Latest Politics News
AIADMK leader KP Munusamy says party will form new alliance after ending ties with BJP
KP Munusamy, a senior leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) said, the party will form a separate alliance for the upcoming elections.
KP Munusamy, a senior leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) said, the party will form a separate alliance for the upcoming elections. The Palaniswami’s party ended its tie with the BJP and withdrew its coalition with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) three days earlier.
According to reports, KP Munusamy further said that the party has not asked to remove K Annamalai, the BJP state president.
Speaking on the removal of the BJP party’s state president, Munusamy said that it is childish to even ask if such a large party like AIADMK would demand anything like that. The party will never commit a mistake like that, he added.
He further clarified that his party’s leaders are not someone who would tell another party how it should function.
Speaking on the relationship with NDA and joining the alliance in future, Munusamy said Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi are claiming that this is a drama.
Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi are only speaking in such a manner because they have a fear after we broke ties with BJP, the AIADMK leader said.
The AIADMK on September 25, announced that it is breaking the alliance with the BJP, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The AIADMK unanimously passed a party resolution in this regard.
Announcing the decision, AIADMK deputy coordinator K P Munusamy said the BJP state leadership has been continuously making unnecessary remarks about their former leaders, their general secretary Edapaddi Palaniswami and their cadres for the past one year.
The decision to part ways follows months of speculation over the strained relationship between the AIADMK and the BJP. Notably, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai had repeatedly commented against AIADMK leaders and that did not earn him any wrath as the BJP was seemingly fine with Annamalai’s assault on the AIADMK leadership.
Even though the AIADMK’s relationship with Annamalai had not been smooth for more than a year, the latter’s observations on DMK founder CN Annadurai, the AIADMK is a breakaway from the DMK and founded by MG Ramachandran after Annadurai’s death, for the last couple of weeks, had provoked the latest round of spat between the two parties.
Latest Politics News
Opposition slams BJP as Ramesh Bidhuri gets key Rajasthan poll responsibility, says BJP rewards hate
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took to X, formerly Twitter and wrote that BJP rewards hate. He added that Bidhuri is rewarded for attacking Danish Ali (BSP) in the Special Session of Parliament.
The opposition slammed Bharatiya Janata Party after it gave election responsibility to Lok Sabha member Ramesh Bidhuri. On Wednesday, MP Ramesh Bidhuri was appointed as the party’s election in-charge of the Tonk constituency in Rajasthan. The BJP MP is in the eye of a storm for his derogatory remark against his parliament colleague BSP MP Danish Ali.
Slamming the move, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took to X, formerly Twitter and wrote that BJP rewards hate. He added that Bidhuri is rewarded for attacking Danish Ali (BSP) in the Special Session of Parliament. He noted that the Muslim population in Tonk is 29. 25% and that this move symbolises hate for political dividends.
Notably, with the Gurjar community present in large numbers in the Tonk district, which has four assembly seats, including the one held by senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot, the BJP believes Ramesh Bidhuri can help it swing the votes as he is also from the same caste.
The Congress leader is also from the Gurjar community. Evidently, Tonk is Sachin Pilot’s stronghold. The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be carried out in or before November of this year to elect representatives for the 200-member house.
In addition, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also took to the social media platform and said that BJP’s, Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas is a fake campaign. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra also criticized the BJP and said Bidhuri had been rewarded for his remarks against a Muslim MP. She further questioned, how does a showcaused person be given a new role by BJP.
During the discussion of Chandrayaan 3 success, Bidhuri’s remarks calling Danish Ali a terrorist, militant etc triggered an uproar in the House with opposition leaders demanding strong action against him.
Previously, speaking on Bidhuri’s remarks, BSP MP Danish Ali expressed that he will now see if the BJP is taking any action against Bidhuri or if he will be promoted and included in the central cabinet of ministers.
Latest Politics News
BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri appointed as election in-charge of Tonk constituency in Rajasthan
Ramesh Bidhuri’s appointment comes amid speculation that Congress leader Sachin Pilot would be contesting from the Tonk constituency in the upcoming assembly election.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ramesh Bidhuri has been appointed as the party’s election in-charge of the Tonk constituency in Rajasthan, according to reports. Earlier, the party had issued a showcause notice to him for anti-Muslim slurs against his Parliament colleague Danish Ali of the BSP.
During the discussion of Chandrayaan 3 success, Bidhuri’s remarks calling Danish Ali a terrorist, militant etc triggered an uproar in the House with opposition leaders demanding strong action against him. On Monday, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri met party’s President JP Nadda.
Nonetheless, Ramesh Bidhuri’s appointment comes amid speculation that Congress leader Sachin Pilot would be contesting from the Tonk constituency in the upcoming assembly election. Notably, Tonk is Sachin Pilot’s stronghold. The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be carried out in or before November of this year to elect representatives for the 200-member house.
Previously, speaking on Bidhuri’s remarks, BSP MP Danish Ali expressed that he will now see if the BJP is taking any action against Bidhuri or if he will be promoted and included in the central cabinet of ministers, adding that maybe it has become a competition among BJP leaders to make such statements not just outside but even inside Parliament.
Danish Ali added that when this is the condition of an elected member like him then what will be the condition of a common people. He voiced that he hopes that he will get justice and the Speaker will conduct an enquiry or else he will leave the Parliament with a heavy heart as this can not be tolerated. He further mentioned that the party did not only insult him and his followers but also insulted the whole nation.
As per reports, when the incident took place, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla took cognizance of the matter and cautioned the BJP member for his remarks in the House, adding that strict action would be taken against him if he repeats such behaviour in future.
