PIL filed in Delhi HC against Haasan for Godse remark

New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking action against actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan over his recent statement terming Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as the first Hindu terrorist of free India.

BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay mentioned the petition which sought debarring of candidates and de-registration of parties abusing religion for political mileage during polls before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A.J. Bhambhani.

The court allowed the plea to be listed for hearing.

Upadhyay, in the petition, alleged that Haasan's statement was intended to outrage religious feelings of Hindus.

"Haasan has violated the Model Code of Conduct in addition to section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. He is deliberately promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and brotherhood, which is an offence under section 153A of the IPC.

"It is a deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of millions of Hindus, which is an offence under section 295A IPC," he said in his petition.

Haasan had made the remark at a rally for his MNM party candidate in Aravakurichi Assembly constituency which will go for a by-poll on May 19.

Terming the comment a corrupt practice, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader's petition said: "It is necessary to state that the statement was made deliberately in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain, which is clearly a corrupt practice.."

In his plea, Upadhyay said the poll body is yet to take action against Haasan, therefore, he has moved the court, seeking direction to the EC to order an investigation into the misuse of religion, race, caste, community and language by candidates and political office-bearers for electoral gain.