Shiv Sena flays Kamal Haasan over Nathuram Godse remark

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday condemned the comments of actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Nathuram Godse.

The party termed his theory a “flop story” and a “useless statement”. Mr Haasan, the chief of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), had sparked a controversy by saying that the “first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu”, where he refer-red to Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin.

Arguing that people do not have sympathy for Godse, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said there is no difference between Kamal Haasan and Digvijaya Singh.

“Kamal Hassan is a very good actor. But his theory (on Nathuram Godse) is a flop story. People do not have sympathy for Godse. Hindus will not tolerate it when their religion is linked with terrorism. There is no difference between Kamal Haasan and Digvijaya Singh. It is a useless statement just to gain publicity,” Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut told reporters.

Leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party and other Hindu outfits have also slammed Kamal Haasan’s comments. Mr Haasan made the comments while campaigning in Tamil Nadu’s Aravakurichi assembly constituency on Sunday.

“I am not saying this because many Muslims are here. I am saying this in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. The first terrorist in indepen-dent India is a Hindu. His name is Nathuram Godse,” Mr Haasan said.

Nathuram Vinayak Godse shot Mahatma Gandhi dead in New Delhi on January 30, 1948.

“I’ve come to question that killing — think about it that way,” Kamal Haasan said.