COIMBATORE: Kamal Haasan has, in an indication of his having taken the plunge into electoral politics, said he has begun his journey towards Fort St.
George (the seat of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly). After weeks of speculation over his comments on social media criticising the political establishment in the state, the actor-filmmaker indicated here on Wednesday that he would not merely remain a "Twitter activist" as political party leaders have criticised him.
Speaking after the wedding ceremony of a fan’s club functionary, Kamal said he would like to consider the gathering an inaugural function of his political journey, rather than the celebration of a marriage.
"What does it matter whether the journey towards politics began from Twitter or from Coimbatore; it had to start at some point," Kamal said, with regard to criticism from political parties mocking him for being 'just' a ‘Twitter Nayagan’ (a social media hero -- the words being a play on his famous film Nayagan, which means hero).
Repeating his oft-stated remarks about the rotten state of politics in the state, he said, "It is our responsibility to change the politics."
Exhorting the people of the state to become responsible voters, he told them that they had let in thieves into politics the moment they sold their "votes for
notes".
He accused politicians of pocketing government funds instead of spending it on the public good.
“It is not the votes that people sold for notes, it is their lives,” he said, chastising the public for their grave mistake, prodding them to realise and accept it.
Pushing the public to seek accountability from the leaders it elected, Kamal said they must question the misdeeds of politicians, and fight to resolve issues, but before that one must ensure that one is clean themselves.
Pointing out that politicians were not "from some alien planet" that the people had to fear and revere them, he said they are just one among us. "They are someone who is elected by the people from our streets."
Speaking to the media later at Coimbatore International Airport, Kamal said the direct meaning of the phrase ‘The journey towards Fort (St George)', should not be misinterpreted in any other way such as a trade union marching towards it pressing for their demands. His remark seems to imply that he was going to take the electoral route to a seat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, and not just go there as an 'activist'.