Kamal Sticks to His Guns on Return of Awards in Protest

“I am sure all those people, who have returned their awards, have a podium. In that case, Mahatma Gandhi should’ve also returned his law degree to the British government because he was against it. But he didn’t do so, did he”, he asked. Actor Kamal Haasan, who just turned 61, never shies away from putting forth his opinion on various issues.

“I have been accused of irresponsibility and callousness when I said I will not return my award because I want to raise my voice against intolerance”.

Veteran Tamil lyricist and poet Vairamuthu has denounced the campaign of returning awards.

Now another Bollywood actress and yesteryear dream girl Hemamalini who is also the member of a prominent political party has charged the mass return of awards as “politically motivated”. Hema Malini has said that awards are won by those who give tremendous hard work and hence it is not right to give it back. She also said that national award should be treasured as a national honor. “Any sensible government will hear it. If they don’t we will raise our voices”, he said. Thoongavanam starrer says, “even he did not give back his law degree to protest against the British”.

On the beef row, the Padma Bhushan-awardee said, “if you do not like beef, don’t eat, I was eating it, but now I have decided that I will not eat animals bigger than me”, he said, adding, choice of food should be left to the people.

Kamal Haasan urges that, “I salute them and have taken the award”.