Let them arrest me, says Kamal Haasan over Godse remark

Chennai, May 17: A day after actor-turned politician Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan was attacked with stones for saying that Independent India's first terrorist was a Hindu, the MNM chief has issued a statement of clarification.

Haasan, who made the remark in an apparent reference to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse in Aravakurichi on Sunday, said, "History shows there are extremists in all religions, my speech that day was about peace and harmony and I will not indulge in mudslinging."

Speaking on his Nathuram Godse remark, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1947, Haasan said,"I am not afraid of being arrested. Let them arrest me. If they do that, it will only create more problem. It's not my warning but only an advice."

He also said that he is not threatened but "feels the quality of politics is going down".

Haasan's remarks on Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1947, have snowballed into a major controversy.

The 64-year-old, while campaigning in Aravakurichi on Sunday, had said: "I am not saying this because this is a Muslim-dominated area, but I am saying this before a statue of Gandhi. Independent India's first extremist (theeviravaadi) was a Hindu, his name is Nathuram Godse. There it starts."

Following the stir his statements created, the actor defended his views and stated that people were making allegations against him without listening to his entire speech at Aravakurichi.

A police complaint was also filed against the actor-politician on Tuesday in Aravakurichi over his comments.

Speaking on stones thrown at his rally in Trichy, Haasan said, "I feel the quality of polity is going down. I don't feel threatened. Every religion has their own terrorist, we cannot claim that we are sanctimonious. History shows that all religions have their extremists."