Kamal Haasan stirs row with 'Kannada' remark but says won't apologise

BENGALURU: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has set off a row with his remark that "Kannada was born out of Tamil", triggering public outrage and drawing sharp political reactions in Karnataka, including a demand from Kannada and culture minister Shivaraj Tangadagi for an immediate apology. Haasan, who made the comment during a film promotion in Chennai, later clarified that his statement was "out of love" and "love will never apologise".

Amid state-wide protests and demonstrations, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, "Kannada has a very long history. Poor Kamal Haasan is unaware of it."

Tangadagi said, "Regardless of the personality, we will tolerate none if they try to defame Kannada language, culture, water, or boundary. There is a need to teach a lesson to all these people."

He demanded that Kannada actor Shivaraj Kumar, who was present during Haasan's speech, condemn his words and urged Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce to consider enforcing a ban on Haasan's film.

Pro-Kannada outfits staged demonstrations against the actor in Belagavi, Mysuru, Hubballi, and Bengaluru. The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike faction of Praveen Shetty lodged a complaint against Haasan at RT Nagar police station. A senior police officer said they had forwarded the complaint for legal opinion.

Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra said, "Disrespecting another language in the name of their mother tongue is nothing but uncultured behaviour. Having acted in several Indian languages, Haasan's attempt to glorify Tamil language, especially in the presence of Kannada actor Shivaraj Kumar, reflects his arrogance and foolishness."

Responding to a series of political outbursts in Karnataka, Haasan recalled in Thiruvananthapuram the diversity Tamil Nadu has seen over the years in the form of multiple chief ministers from different linguistic backgrounds, including the late J Jayalalithaa, who hailed from Mandya in Karnataka.

(With inputs from Raksha)