As the Tamil Nadu assembly polls inch closer, the focus predictably is on the two big regional forces: the AIADMK and the DMK. However, actor Kamal Haasan, who has finally entered the electoral arena, set to contest from Coimbatore South, says he is not intimidated by the behemoths. He spoke to News18 about picking sides, his party’s chances, strategies, and the challenges ahead.
Excerpts from the interview:
There are accusations of ‘A team, B team’. What team are you?
If I’m anybody’s team that will be Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s team. I’ve always said that. I will not be part of any other team because I’ve checked out these teams. My due diligence tells me they are not good enough…for the country or for me to look up to.
You are taking on some biggies here. Must be intimidating in a way?
Not at all. The big and small…is a point of view. I’ve always taken on biggies. When I came to act, they were much bigger… MGR and Sivaji were bigger than DMK and AIADMK. And when I came in, I came in the world with confidence…This is an opportunity. I’m not here to compete with them. They are no competition.. As a matter of fact. these parties are not my competition… they are no competition to an honest politician with intent and mission. They are only an impediment to the growth of the country and our party and we will have it eliminated..
What is your modest estimate of the MNM’s chances? Could a third alternative see the light of day?
I’ll keep my modesty to the larger population. I have no modesty to exhibit to these people who sorely lack it. So there’s no modesty… we think we are going to win.
In this election, there is a feeling that tax officials and the ED have actually influenced many decisions.
Instruments of the government will be used…The more dictatorial or fascist they are, the more they will use their powers. If they use it less, it means they are not as fascist as we thought they were. If they continuously keep using their police… and army… Kaaval padai shouldn’t become eval padai (the protection force should not become an incitement force). They shouldn’t become the button men for avaricious politicians.
In Coimbatore South, you are being seen as the outsider. Someone who will campaign now and after elections will not be seen too often.
Oh, they make it sound like the rest of the MLAs visit their mohallas very often. They don’t. They disappear; they have accounts in Swiss banks. I have an account in an Indian bank. And I pay my taxes. And I’ve visited various places. I hail from Paramakudi, I went to Chennai, I went to Bombay… India is mine from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. But I will respect its diversity and I will go to Coimbatore and I will make it all right. And when I leave from Coimbatore, I won’t be considered an outsider.
Will you give a commitment then that you will visit at least once a month or so?
The damage they have done is 50 years of damage. Only a fool would say you would do it in a month. We would do it in the time given to us and we will only do what we can achieve, not what you call a blindfolded pick where you touch and we say we do it…Not a magic trick.
So far, the highest cash dole to people has been promised by you, of Rs 3,000 a month to homemakers. That seems impractical.
It’s not… Because we don’t plan to secrete money for ourselves. There will be a lot of money and all the government-run businesses will be made profitable and not run at a loss, and the government won’t rely on taxation and TASMAC. There are other ways of generating income and that’s why we have people, we have planners. We don’t say we are infallible. We might be fallible but we have enough time to correct our path, correct our aim, shoot at our target and get it achieved.
Is this election caste-driven?
We want to drive caste out and not be driven by caste.
But that may be unrealistic, going by the realities on the ground.
No, it is not… Sending back the British sounded unrealistic… We did it
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