Just days after Shah Rukh Khan expressed his concern over the growing intolerance in India, Kamal Haasan said intolerance was always present in the country and such intolerance divided the nation in 1947. He also took a stand on 'Award Wapsi', saying he won't return his awards.
"The media has taken the issue only now and India has always been intolerant; that's why Pakistan was formed. Otherwise we would have been one big nation and could have taken on China on commerce and many other things. Intolerance should not divide the nation again," Kamal Haasan told a news channel.
Kamal Haasan added, "Every five years we should debate it. I am not the one for intolerance. I tolerate all the religions even though I am not religious. But I will never say no to other religions nor object to their practises. I won't do it. That's my right."
On writers' returning their Sahitya Akademi Awards, he said, "Nothing will happen by returning these awards except you will insult the government or people who gave award with love. You'll bring attention to it, but there many more ways of bringing attention."
"Those who've returned awards are so talented. They should keep the awards, yet continue the fight in other ways," Haasan concluded.
It may be recalled that Kamal Haasan was a victim of intolerance a few years ago when his blockbuster "Vishwaroopam" was banned in his own territory by the state government, which had stated that the film's release would create law and order issues in the state.
Some fringe groups had protested against the movie and claimed that "Vishwaroopam" projected their religion in a bad taste. Hence, the ban was justified by the state government before lifting it after a compromise deal was struck between Kamal and the groups that opposed the release.
