Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvan and members of his AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma party have come out in support of actor Kamal Haasan in the ongoing tussle between the actor and the State government.
A report in Maalai Malar says that former Minister KP Munuswamy, an OPS loyalist, said, “Every citizen has the right to criticise the government in a democratic set up. Kamal Haasan has exercised that right. The government and those in power must take on board his comments, and answer his questions in the appropriate manner. However, getting angry at him is against all norms of proper political conduct.”
He added: “Criticising Kamal Haasan and indulging in personal attacks against him will only demean the person making these attacks.”
Earlier, Kamal Haasan was threatened with tax audits and arrest. Further, Minister CV Shanmugam criticised Kamal’s personal life and questioned his morality.
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Meanwhile, the opposition DMK and its acting president MK Stalin have supported Kamal Haasan. Dinamalar reports that Stalin said, “Kamal Haasan has merely expressed popular public opinion, for which those in power are threatening him. The government and Ministers in a democratic state must take on board the criticism and correct themselves. Anything else they do is in violation of democracy, and is alienating the actor’s rights.”
Kamal has thanked Stalin and the DMK for their support.