Using the sewage-filled Coonoor River as an analogy to the current state of governance in Tamil Nadu, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder, Kamal Haasan, said the stench from the river was indicative of the issues plaguing the State.
Speaking at a rally endorsing the MNM candidate in Coonoor, H.B. Rajakumar, Mr. Haasan said that despite the Nilgiris being a tourist destination, it was being neglected. “As we speak, we can smell the stench from the river. This is the state of Tamil Nadu at the moment. Moreover, this is a tourist destination… we can take videos of this place, but we can’t smell it [through videos],” said Mr. Haasan.
On the need to start the MNM and his entering of politics, Mr. Haasan said that the party was born out of the need to get people who did not think that politics was a job, but a duty. “I myself am an example. For 60 years, since I was a small boy, I came to Ooty to act in films. From then to now, the people have borne me on their shoulders. I did not do anything for them… I thought it was enough to pay tax correctly, but it is not enough. To repay the love of the people, I wish to do something for them,” he said.
Mr. Haasan was earlier in Udhagamandalam, and endorsed the MNM candidates contesting in Udhagamandalam, Dr. Suresh Babu and Gudalur, J. Babu. He said that if voted to power, he would ensure transparency in how the party MLAs spent their funds. “One corrupt party should not be replaced by another,” he said, adding that freebies announced by other parties were not an answer to solving poverty.
