CHENNAI: Kamal Haasan announced his website, www.maiam.com, an initiative to build model villages in all districts of the state and said an alliance with Rajini is unlikely, while speaking at Harvard University’s India Conference in Boston, early Sunday morning.
With the launch of his political party less than two weeks away, Kamal Haasan lashed out the “mediocrity” the “global village” of Tamil Nadu has been subjected to.
Quoting his mentor, M K Gandhi, on the importance of sustaining villages to save the country, Kamal reaffirmed his plans to adopt one village in each district of the State. This is one of the integral parts of his manifesto that will be released on February 21.
Kamal alleged the three major problems weighing the state down were — apathy of the political class to financial health of the State, inability of the state to manage its (natural) resources and the gradual lowering of the bar in all aspects such as education, healthcare etc.
Since his entry into active politics, this is the first time Kamal has gone into the State’s financial health and pointed out the Rs 100 billion revenue deficit and the Rs 408 crore fiscal deficit. While, he has prioritized environmental since his plunge, Kamal streamlined into water self sufficiency which he believes could have been possible by now in the State.
Kamal also made his aversion to mediocrity clear and blamed the politicians and business class for thrusting it down the throats of the common man.
“Rubbish becomes acceptable if mediocrity is the standard,” he said.
However, Kamal did not absolve the common man of blame and even went on to say that people deserve the politicians they have elected, in a interview with Barkha Dutt that followed his address. He enunciated how the common man loses the right to question their elected representatives the moment they accept pre-poll bribes.
“They take Rs 15,000 unaware of the Rs 15 lakhs they can earn or benefit from if they hadn’t accepted the money,” he said.
Alliance with Rajini unlikely
There has been much talk about the possibility of Kamal joining hands with fellow actor Rajinikanth. However, Kamal dismissed such rumours while interacting with Barkha Dutt after his speech.
Kamal expressed concerns over their differences in the way good must be done to the people and Rajini’s initial statement on entering politics giving him a hue.
“I hope his hue is not saffron,” Kamal said, hinting that he would wait till Rajinikanth announces his manifesto to take a call on a possible alliance.
Kamal during the course of this interaction with the student community at Harvard, also called out intrusion of free choice in the country pertaining to food, intercaste marriage and sexual orientation.
Kamal Haasan will begin his political journey at the residence of former President Abdul Kalam in Rameshwaram on February 21 before unveiling the party flag and name at the first public meeting in Madurai on the same day.