Slippers were thrown at actor-politician Kamal Haasan while he was addressing an election meeting at the Tirupparankundram Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday evening, PTI reported. The slippers missed Haasan, the founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam, and fell on the crowd.
An unidentified police officer said one person has been detained. According to NDTV, 11 people, including Bharatiya Janata Party workers and members of Hanuman Sena, were named in the police complaint.
A group of men reportedly shouted slogans at the actor near his stage, according to The Times of India. Responding to the hecklers, Haasan said: “We don’t have to worry about it, they [police] will take care of it.”
The incident comes in the wake of Haasan’s comment that Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse was “India’s first terrorist”. Addressing a public meeting in Aravakurichi Assembly constituency on Monday, Haasan had also pointed out that Godse was a Hindu.
On Wednesday, Haasan said his comment about Nathuram Godse was a “historical truth”. The actor-turned-politician is facing a court case in Delhi and a First Information Report has been registered in Tamil Nadu.
Bye-elections in Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram, Sulur and Tirupparankundram Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu will be held on May 19. Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam have fielded candidates from these seats.
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