Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, who launched his political party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam" yesterday, took a dig at the BJP today, writing that though saffron is one of the three colours of the Indian flag, "it shouldn't spread to the entire flag".
While saffron in the Indian flag stands for sacrifice, it has been largely identified with the right-wing ideology. In his hugely popular column in Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, Mr Hassan wrote it would be wrong to say he "dishonours" saffron as the flag gives "space for that sacrifice". Underscoring the point, the 63-year-old, whose party flag gave broad hints of the Dravidian ideology he subscribes to, said it was essential to "give space and respect others too."
In the run-up to yesterday's party launch in Tamil Nadu's political capital Madurai, Mr Haasan has made it clear that he does not subscribe to the right-wing ideology. Talking about the prospects of an alliance with friend Rajinikanth, who has also announced his intentions to join politics, Mr Haasan said it would be "unlikely if his colour is saffron".
Asked if his party would subscribe to left or right-wing politics, Mr Haasan yesterday said "I'm centre".
Today, he made his distaste clear, saying, "Some videos show people taking a vow to remove the word secular in constitution... Can we make such a sacrifice to harvest votes?" The reference was to Union minister Anant Kumar Hedge, who landed in a controversy in December after saying his party, the BJP, will soon change the Constitution," which mentions the word "secular". The party had quickly distanced itself from his comments, saying it was "not an issue" for it.ka
