Chennai: Barely two weeks before Tamil Nadu votes, actor Kamal Haasan has caused a flutter with his statement warning voters not to succumb to money power. “If you sell your votes you will have to accept your fate,” he said on TV. “You lose the moral right to question politicians. Nothing can be more pathetic than selling your vote,” he added.
This isn't the first time the actor has taken a stand on an issue, but what makes it significant are the political undertones. It could become a talking point among his fans. While some analysts read it as a criticism of the ruling party, others feel the actor, without taking sides, was making an appeal out of concern over reports of cash inducements offered to voters.
In TN, where cinema and politics are intertwined, statements by actors have generated debate and even turned the tide in elections. In 1996, Rajinikanth's statement that “Even God can't save Tamil Nadu if you vote for Jayalalithaa” is believed to have helped the DMK-Tamil Maanila Congress combine sweep the polls.
Reports on money seized from touts and middlemen linked to ruling party members were worrying, said Dravidian scholar R Kannan, who now represents DMK. “ Although there's no mention of any party, the statement gives a clear message to people,” said Kannan.“The situation is so dire that an apolitical and respected citizen Kamal Haasan has felt the need to warn people,” he said.
