Kamal Haasan backs Udhayanidhi Stalin, says minister being 'hounded' for remark on Sanatana Dharma
Coimbatore (PTI): Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan on Friday said DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is being "hounded" for his remark on Sanatana Dharma.
Addressing a party meet here, Haasan, without naming Udhayanidhi, the BJP or any other outfit, said a "young child" is being targeted today as he had spoken about Sanatana Dharma.
Indicating that there is nothing new about the minister's remark on Sanatana Dharma, the actor implied that several leaders of the Dravidian movement such as Udhayanidhi's grandfather and late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi have also spoken about it in the past.
Haasan said the extent of reformist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy's anger against social ills can be understood from the leader's life. He said people like himself understood the word 'Sanatana' only due to Periyar.
Though Periyar had been the administrator of a temple and had even performed puja while in Kashi, he gave up all that and dedicated his entire life in the service of people, Haasan said.
Neither the ruling DMK nor any other party can claim that Periyar belongs only to them; the entire state of Tamil Nadu should celebrate him as their leader, he said, adding that he himself has been one among those who honour Periyar.
Speaking about the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he said the BJP regime may attempt to even advance it according to their convenience.
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
