Kamal Haasan demands referendum in Kashmir, later reverses stand, claims, 'quoted out of context'

Actor turned politician Kamal Haasan has stoked controversy with his remarks on Kashmir, when he demanded a plebiscite in the State but later on, claimed that he was quoted out of context.

Haasan, at an event in Chennai said, “Hold plebiscite and make everyone talk, why the government didn’t do that? What are they scared of? We had already torn this single nation and split it into two parts, why don’t we ask them again? But they won’t do.”

Haasan was replying to the question of the 40 CRPF soldiers who were martyred in Kashmir’s Pulwama after a suicide bomber had hit the convoy of CRPF.

Demanding for a ceasefire between the two neighboring countries, the actor said, “Why should soldiers die? Is our watchman dying? If both governments behave well, no soldier will die. The line of control will be under control.”

While criticizing the governments stand upon the issue over Kashmir and its liberty, Haasan had said that “Hold plebiscite and make everyone talk, why the government didn’t do that? What are they scared of? We had already torn this single nation and split it into two parts, why don’t we ask them again? But they won’t do.”

But, his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in an official statement denied the reference and said that the English news channels are quoting out of context.

MNM, in an official statement has said, “The references made in the English News channel report were mentioned by our party president in the context of a magazine article published three decades ago about an option that was available at one point in time of history.”

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