Chennai: Contending that politics of religion was unacceptable, AIADMK senior and fisheries minister D. Jayakumar said politician should depend on people and not on religion, so as to ensure more development.
The minister's veiled attack on actor-politician Kamal Haasan comes close on the heels of Kamal's controversial remark on Sunday. “Free India's first extremist was a Hindu. He was Nathuram Godse (who assassinated the Father of the nation - Mahatma Gandhi), Kamal had said while campaigning in Aravakurichi.
The remark not only evoked spontaneous protests from various quarters but also resulted in police and court cases slapped on the actor.
“Politicians should depend on people not on religion. He should ascertain their needs and meet their aspirations,” Mr Jayakumar advised on Saturday. Speaking to reporters here he said politicians have a role in nation building initiatives. Though he won support from the DMK, VCK and DK, Haasan's provocative remark drew a volley of criticism from both the AIADMK and the BJP. On Saturday Union Minister Giriraj Singh slammed the MNM leader saying Kamal knows nothing about Hinduism and he should instead try defining Muslims.
“Kamal Haasan needs to define a Muslim to be identified as an intelligent person. To define a Hindu, he will have to read and study for at least a hundred years. He is trying to play politics and hopes to become a stalwart through these measures, but it won't help him,” Singh had said.
