Kejriwal Meets Kamal Haasan, Hails Actor

CHENNAI:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today met veteran actor Kamal Haasan and hailed him for coming out against communalism and corruption amid mounting speculation that the latter would take a political plunge.
Kejriwal also said that the 62-year-old multilingual actor should enter politics. Today’s interaction where the two men had mutual admiration for each other was the second high-profile meeting Haasan had with a political figure in three weeks. The actor had called on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on September 1.
“It is important at this point when the country is facing strong forces of corruption and communalism, all like minded people should talk to each other on these issues and work in tandem,” said the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) chief with Haasan by his side. Emerging from an hour-long meeting at the actor’s office-cum-residence in Alwarpet here, Kejriwal told reporters that Haasan should enter politics and added that the two would continue to meet in future.
Haasan, who has of late been dropping hints on taking the political plunge, showered praise on Kejriwal, saying the Delhi chief minister had a national profile of fighting against corruption and communalism.
“I also have a similar reputation and it is no wonder we decided to have a dialogue on the existing situation (in the country and Tamil Nadu),” he said.
Stating that he was honoured by Kejriwal’s visit, Haasan said his endeavour was to seek advice from anyone fighting against communalism and corruption. “It is more of a learning curve for me… an educational tourism asking anybody who is fighting aginst communalism and corruption to give me advice to go about my endeavour,” he said.
Kejriwal said he had always been a great fan of Haasan both as an actor and as an individual. “Kamal Haasan ji enjoys a reputation of integrity and courage,” he added.
“There are rare people who have the courage to stick their neck out. And Kamal Haasan ji happens to be one of them, who has stuck his neck out and he has decided rather than curse from outside that he should enter politics,” Kejriwal said.
Earlier on his arrival, Kejriwal was received at the airport by Haasan’s younger daughter Akshara. Haasan has been critical of the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu over various issues, including corruption, triggering sharp condemnation from some state ministers.