Saffron should not spread all over tricolour: Kamal
Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said that saffron has its place in the national flag but it should not spread all over it, in a remark interpreted as an attack on the BJP and Hindutva forces.
"Even the Indian national flag has saffron. But it (the colour) should not spread all over the flag is what I am saying," said Kamal, President of newly-formed political party Makkal Needhi Maiam.
In his latest column in a Tamil weekly magazine Ananda Vikatan, Kamal said he has not insulted the saffron band on the tricolour -- which signifies courage and sacrifice.
Citing national leaders who fought for freedom, he said they had differed with each other but stood united to fight for the same goal, adding that this lesson should not be lost.
He said for the success of Indian democracy, one cannot forget the contributions of B.R. Ambedkar and Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer in drafting our Constitution.
On the core political philosophy, Kamal said he does not want to be tied down to the narrow confines of any single 'ism'.
"All 'isms' are for social reform. And it cannot be said all have succeeded. It cannot be agreed that a book written in some corner of the world will suit the whole world," Kamal said.
According to him, one cannot equate Socrates' Democracy with that of (US President Donald) Trump's democracy as both are "different creatures".
Kamal also said he met fellow actor Rajinikanth secretly near here -- at the latter's "Kaala" movie shoot -- and told him about his plans to float the party.
Kamal said both agreed to maintain dignity in their political career and not indulge in the usual acrimonial politics.
On meeting DMK President M. Karunanidhi, Kamal said the veteran leader is his Tamil Guru and "he wished me good in my political journey with a smile".
Kamal who also met DMDK leader A. Vijayakant, another Tamil movie hero turned politician, said he has not changed and continues to be the same old 'Viji'.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
11 more bodies retrieved from Arunachal accident site
Itanagar (PTI): Eleven more bodies were retrieved on Saturday from the deep gorge in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district, where a mini-truck on which 22 labourers from Assam were travelling fell, an official said.
With this, 17 bodies have been recovered from the accident site, Anjaw's deputy commissioner Milo Kojin said.
He said three more bodies will be brought out on Sunday.
The operation, being conducted by a joint team of the NDRF and Army, resumed at 6 am.
ALSO READ: Traffic fraud: Fake 'no-entry' sticker racket busted in Delhi, mastermind among 3 held
"The retrieval process was extremely difficult because of the treacherous terrain, and the gorge is very deep," Kojin said.
The operation was suspended around 4 pm due to low visibility and will be resumed on Sunday morning, he said.
"One person is still missing, and a search operation will be carried out tomorrow," he added.
The accident happened on the evening of December 8, around 40 km from Hayuliang towards Chaglagam in the district. On the evening of December 10, one survivor managed to climb out of the gorge and reach a nearby Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) labour camp, following which the authorities were alerted.
Six bodies were recovered from the gorge on Friday and handed over to their families on Saturday.
