Kamal Haasan launches political party Makkal Needhi Maiam, calls for unity

“Have you seen my (party’s) flag and symbol? It has the map of new South India. Those six hands represent the six southern states. The star in the middle with six pointers represent truth, people and justice,” Haasan said to huge applause.

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Addressing a gathering of over 15,000 people, who had come from various parts of Tamil Nadu, Haasan said he has no ‘isms’ in mind but the welfare of people.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal joins Kamal Haasan for the launch of his party (Source: @maiamofficial)

Pushing for ideas to improve the service sectors and essential services for people, Haasan said his guilt feeling also had a role to play in his political journey. He said, “I never used to act for free. You paid money to watch the films I acted in, and that became my salary. But what did I do in return?…. That is why a feeling of guilt started (taking shape inside). I decided to live for you – hereon. That is why I am in hurry (and) I decided to launch a political party and see it before my time ends,” he said.

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Haasan said he is not a leader but a worker – a coordinator who serves people. “I feel we can do a lot to get everyone a good education…equal education for everyone of the best standard. That is why I said we need to start the work here. Those who are playing politics in the name of caste and religion, I say to them: stop it. Otherwise we will do it (stop politics of hate)…and we will become the model (while doing that), leading the way.”

Haasan said his plans to adopt eight villages in Tamil Nadu in the initial stage was a decision to begin that service for the people.

The logo of Haasan’s party. Makkal Needhi Maiam roughly means People’s Justice Centre.

Without naming any party, he took on political outfits that bribe voters: “If you had voted for the right party, you would have got Rs 6 lakh every year instead of Rs 6,000 for your vote once in five years.”

Most people projected as leaders of the new party are unknown faces – many of them running Kamal Haasan fans’ associations in districts; a few lawyers, and a retired police officer.

Read | What does Makkal Needhi Maiam mean?

Late President A P J Abdul Kalam’s close relatives, who had announced their decision to join the new party, praised the actor-politician for beginning his political journey from Rameswaram, Kalam’s native place.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who failed to attend the rally, sent a video message, partially in Tamil.. “He is very dear to me and the people of Kerala,” Vijayan said in the video. Calling Haasan a unifying link between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, he said the new party will enrich Kerala too in its fight to uphold secularism, socialism and a pluralistic society.

Delhi CM Kejriwal and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti, besides Coordination Committee of All-Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association leader P R Pandian, were the key figures who shared the stage with Haasan.

Actor Kamal Hassan at the launch of his party ‘Makkal Needhi Maiam’.(Twitter/@maiamofficial)

Beginning his speech with “Vanakkam (greetings)”, Kejriwal praised Haasan for his statements against communal forces, and took on the Congress and both big Dravidian parties: the DMK and the AIADMK. Calling both parties corrupt, Kejriwal said, “When you cast your votes next, give it to Kamal Haasan, defeat both AIADMK and DMK.”

He appealed the people of Tamil Nadu to defeat both Dravidian parties, like the people in Delhi defeated both Congress and the BJP to elect AAP. “People of Tamil Nadu should break the record of people in Delhi by electing an alternative political party led by Kamal Haasan…. If you have an honest government, everything is possible. Delhi is witnessing a complete transformation in education, health, power and many such essential sectors,” he said.

Haasan started his roadshow from Rameswaram on Wednesday morning and had at least three public meetings on way to Madurai. His speeches lasted less than five minutes at those meetings. After visiting late President Kalam’s elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraicker in the morning, Haasan said Kalam lived in a simple house “but see the national spirit the man had – something we all should learn from him.”

Haasan’s plans to interact with students of a school where Kalam studied was cancelled due to opposition from the state School Education Department.

At Rameswaram, Haasan revealed that he had spoken on the phone with Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday night. “He told me to prepare a list of things to do for the people beyond policies. He said that itself will lead (the party) to victory.”