Mahabharata comment: Court orders Kamal Haasan to appear before it on May 5
The actor allegedly made the anti-Mahabharata remarks during an interview to a private Tamil television channel on March 12.
Tirunelveli: Popular actor Kamal Haasan was on Friday asked by a local court to appear before it on May 5 to answer allegations in a complaint against him that he made insulting remarks against Mahabharata.
Valliyoor judicial magistrate Senthil Kumar also ordered the Pazhuvur police inspector to investigate the matter and file a report at the earliest on the complaint filed by Athinatha Sundaram, the secretary of the Narumboonathar temple devotees federation.
The actor allegedly made the anti-Mahabharata remarks during an interview to a private Tamil television channel on March 12.
The complainant alleged that the actor, in response to a question from the interviewer about the violence against women, particularly in the film industry, said the people in this country read even the epic Mahabharata, wherein a woman was staked in a dice game.
He also allegedly said Indians give too much respect to the Mahabharatha that “highlighted the fact” that a woman was pawned away in gambling. He submitted that Kamal Haasan had ‘insulted’ the Hindus and the Mahabharata by his alleged remarks. He sought a heavy fine and maximum punishment to the actor for insulting the religious sentiments of the Hindus.
Court dismisses plea against Kamal
In a unique judgment, Thiru. Saravanabavan, Judge of second additional district Munsif court at Kumbakonam, not only came down heavily on a petitioner but asked him to pay a fine of Rs 10,000, which should be deposited in a bank account to fund the removal of the harmful 'seemai karuvelam' trees on Friday.
The case was filed by K.Bala, Thanjavur district secretary of Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) on March 24 against film actor Kamal Haasan, for uttering allegedly denigrating remarks on the epic 'Mahabarata' in a television interview.
The petitioner sought penal action against the actor, who reportedly said that Mahabarata denigrated women, "as a woman (Draupadi) was pledged in a gamble".
The Judge permitted the petition on March 27. However, in his order now, he dismissed the case and said that the petitioner has been filing cases for self-propaganda. He recalled that the petitioner had filed similar case against actor Kushboo also.
“So this case is also not maintainable,” the Judge said. He directed the petitioner to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 and deposit the amount in a bank account to fund the removal of 'Seemai Karuvelam' trees in Thanjavur district.