Complaint filed against Kamal Haasan for 'Hindu terrorist' remark

A complaint was Tuesday filed before a court here seeking prosecution of actor-politician Kamal Haasan for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by terming Nathuram Godse, who had killed Mahatma Gandhi, a "Hindu terrorist".

The matter is likely to be listed before a Metropolitan Magistrate on May 16.

The complainant has sought Haasan's prosecution for alleged offences punishable under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, language etc) and 295-A (outrage religious feelings by insulting religion etc).

The offences are punishable with imprisonment of three-year jail term or fine, or both.

The complaint was filed by Vishnu Gupta who claimed to be the president of an organisation Hindu Sena.

Haasan "deliberately and maliciously" made "absolutely derogatory comments to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by associating terrorism with the Hindu religion", he alleged.

The comment was made with the sole intention "to promote enmity between Hindus and Muslims, and outrage religious feelings and religious beliefs of Hindus, along with that of the complainant", Gupta claimed in his complaint.

It was alleged in the complaint that the comment made by Haasan was "grossly offensive and deliberately intended to outrage the feelings of Hindus".

Haasan, the president of the Makkal Needhi Maiam, in an election campaign in Tamil Nadu on Monday had said independent India's first "extremist was a Hindu"-- Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi.

The petition said he had made the comment while speaking at an election rally for his party candidate in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency, where bypolls will be held on May 19.