Kamal Haasan Raises Alarm Over Electoral Roll Revision Inconvenience
CHENNAI: Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president and Rajya Sabha member Kamal Haasan has made a fervent appeal to the Union government to urgently address the significant inconvenience caused to voters across the nation due to the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The actor-turned-politician voiced these concerns during the Parliament floor leaders' meeting held ahead of the crucial budget session.
Contra-Indicative Answers and National Concerns
Speaking on the parliamentary floor, Kamal Haasan revealed that his party had raised several pointed questions regarding the electoral roll revision process. "Unfortunately, these answers have not enabled us to convincingly reassure the people of Tamil Nadu," he stated. The MNM leader emphasized that this is not merely a regional issue confined to Tamil Nadu but represents a national inconvenience affecting citizens throughout the country.
"We have come to realise that this is not a regional issue. It is a national inconvenience, shared by our sister states across the length and breadth of our motherland," Kamal asserted. He highlighted that numerous instances of voter confusion and distress have been brought to national attention, creating what he described as exemplary gratia of voter disenfranchisement concerns.
Democratic Principles Under Threat
The veteran actor expressed deep concern about the implications for democratic processes. "I do not believe that advising citizens to align themselves with a political party merely to safeguard their voting rights is healthy for a democracy," Kamal declared. He emphasized his commitment to peaceful protest methods, stating "I shall continue to protest using time-tested, peaceful tools to defend our rights."
Drawing from historical lessons, Kamal warned that "History has taught us that any other path begets bloodshed. Enough blood has soaked this land." He stressed the urgency of addressing growing citizen discontent, calling it more pressing than many other parliamentary debates.
The Constitutional Mandate
In a powerful analogy, Kamal Haasan distinguished between external and internal national defense. While expressing complete faith in the armed forces' ability to protect borders, he reminded fellow parliamentarians: "But we, my respected colleagues, are soldiers entrusted with defending our people within this country. Our sole weapon is the Constitution."
The MNM leader issued a stark warning about constitutional erosion: "We must not allow it to erode, rust or fracture, whether through misuse, convenient amnesia, or sheer negligence." This statement underscored his belief that protecting democratic institutions requires constant vigilance from elected representatives.
A Pan-Indian Concern
Kamal Haasan positioned his concerns as representing all Indian citizens, regardless of linguistic or cultural background. "This is not a question I raise today, but a concern. A concern I place before this gathering as a representative of my people: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and every other linguistic and cultural identity that together form this Republic," he stated.
The parliamentarian concluded with a grave assessment: "Deliberation alone will not suffice. This must be addressed as an imminent and dangerous threat to our democracy." His remarks highlight growing concerns about electoral processes and their impact on democratic participation across India.
