“Are you showing your true face, Mr Kamal Hasan?” asks Coimbatore Press Club in a Facebook post. The Coimbatore Press Club has on Wednesday condemned Makkal Needhi Maiam(MNM) chief Kamal Haasan for allegedly trying to hit Sun TV reporter Mohan at the Government College of Technology, Coimbatore on Tuesday - the day of polling.
A picture of Kamal Haasan raising his walking stick has gone viral. The picture, however, did not feature the reporter. According to Coimbatore Press Club, the reporter was videographing Haasan arriving at a polling station in Coimbatore South constituency from where he is contesting.
The club has alleged that the actor-turned-politician had obstructed the reporter demanding him not to shoot the video and attempted to hit the reporter with his walking stick. “Though the reporter was luckily not injured, it would have been worse if the edge of the stick hit his neck by chance,” read the Facebook post which was addressed to Kamal Haasan. The club said that the MNM chief’s conduct had created a shock among journalists in Coimbatore.“This is seemingly a reflection of authoritarianism. You will have to face the legal consequences for this act”, the post added.
The club has demanded an open apology from Hassan for his act failing which it would take legal action against him. MNM activists were not available for their version. Haasan has been using the walking stick after he had surgery on his leg.
In the Tamil Nadu Assembly election that was held on April 6, Kamal Haasan contested from the Coimbatore South constituency for the first time. His rivals include Mayura Jayakumar of Congress and Vanathi Srinivasan of BJP.
Congress candidate Mayura Jayakumar took to Twitter to condemn Kamal Haasan. “I came to know that a Sun TV reporter was reportedly attacked by Kamal Haasan and I condemn the incident. Kamal Haasan has to apologise for the incident”.
இன்று கோவையில் #SunTV செய்தியாளர் மோகனை, மக்கள் நீதி மைய தலைவர் #கமலஹாசன் தாக்கியதாக தகவல் அறிந்தேன் சம்பவத்தை கண்டிக்கின்றேன் உடனடியாக கமலஹாசன் நடந்த சம்பவத்திற்கு மன்னிப்பு கோர வேண்டும் pic.twitter.com/gRgvr5tOWu
— Mayura Jayakumar (@MayuraSJ) April 7, 2021
National President of BJP’s women’s wing and Coimbatore South candidate Vanathi Srinivasan has also tweeted on this issue. “I came to know that Kamal Haasan has attacked reporter Mohan at the GCT college in Coimbatore this morning. This is worrisome”, said the tweet.
இன்று காலை கோவை ஜிசிடி கல்லூரி வளாகத்தில் திரு கமலஹாசன் அவர்கள் சன் நியூஸ் பத்திரிக்கையாளர் திரு மோகன் அவர்களை தனது கைத்தடியால் தாக்கியதாக கேள்விப்பட்டேன். இது மிகவும் வருத்தத்தை அளிக்கின்றது.
— Vanathi Srinivasan (@VanathiBJP) April 7, 2021