Bengaluru: Slamming actor Kamal Haasan for "speaking insensitively" about the Kannada language, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that he must respectfully apologise to Kannada and Kannadigas.

The former Chief Minister said, apologising does not make anyone smaller, nor does arrogance make anyone greater.

Actor-politician Haasan's recent statement claiming that "Kannada was born out of Tamil" during a promotional event for his upcoming film 'Thug Life' has sparked widespread outrage among pro-Kannada groups and cultural organisations.

Taking to 'X', Yediyurappa said, 'Kannada is truth, Kannada is eternal' is not just the rallying cry of Kannadigas, "but it is also the pledge of Kannadigas towards mother Bhuvaneshwari, the deity of Kannada".

"Many senior linguistic experts have demonstrated that Kannada did not originate from any specific language. It is deeply regrettable and condemnable that artist Kamal Haasan, who is neither a historian nor a linguistic expert, has spoken insensitively about the Kannada language," he added.

"His behavior, which unnecessarily disrupts peace, harmony, and unity, is not right. In the fervor of expressing his opinion, he has hurt the sentiments of crores of Kannadigas, and he must respectfully apologise to Kannada and Kannadigas. Apologising does not make anyone smaller, nor does arrogance make anyone greater!" he said.

Haasan had recently declined to apologise and said he believed in law and justice and his love for Karnataka was true.

Raajkamal Films International, Chennai, the producers of Kamal Haasan-starrer movie 'Thug Life,' on Monday filed a petition before the Karnataka high court, requesting protection to ensure the smooth release of film 'Thug Life' in the state.

The move comes in response to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce's (KFCC) recent announcement that it would not permit the screening of the film in Karnataka unless Haasan issues a public apology for his comment suggesting that 'Kannada evolved from Tamil'.

The film, scheduled to hit theatres on June 5.

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.



Surapura: In a tragic road accident reported from the taluk, six people were burnt alive in a collision between a private bus and a car on the Bidar-Bengaluru Highway near the Shanthapura Cross close to the Thinthani Bridge on Friday morning.

A fire broke out due to the force of the collision, and both vehicles were gutted in the flames.

The bus is learned to have been traveling from Lingasugur to Kalaburagi, and the car was going towards Lingasugur. While none of the passengers in the bus was reportedly endangered in the accident, all six people traveling the car died in the accident and are learned to have burnt in the fire.

The local fire brigade has successfully doused the flames.

Inspector Umesh M and team of the Surapura Police Station is learned to have arrived at the accident spot and conducted an inspection.

The skulls of four people are said to have been found among the debris.