News Tamil Nadu

“Another Nambi Narayanan must not be made”: Kamal Haasan comes out in support of Anna Univ VC Surappa

December 5, 2020
The Commune

Filmmaker and Makkal Needhi Maiam head Kamal Haasan has come out in support of Anna University Vice Chancellor M.K. Surappa who is being witch-hunted by both the AIADMK and the DMK for refusing to bow down to political pressure.

Kamal Hasan in a video message said that Surappa was a honest man who who refused to give in to authoritative pressure.

“He wanted to elevate the quality of education standard in engineering in Thamizh Nadu. But will out ‘corrupt collective’ let that happen?” Kamal Haasan said adding that they [the Dravidian parties] break anyone who do not bend to their will.

Kamal Haasan lashed out at the AIADMK government saying that an enquiry commission was formed based on an anonymous letter of a ‘spineless coward’ and asked if enquiry has been done on former Vice Chancellor E. Balaguruswami’s allegations about Minister for the Department of Higher Education demanding bribes of ₹60 lakhs for the appointment of professors.

“The Ministers for Department of Local Governance, Department of Animal Husbandry, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Milk and Dairy Development are corrupt, exclaimed social commentators, the media, and the opposition parties every day. Have you enquired that?”, Kamal Haasan asks in the video.

The MNM head also asked if action has been taken against the illegal occupants and those who have misused Anna University’s vehicles.

Kamal Hasan said that it was the duty of the educator to conduct examinations and what was the need for politicians to poke their nose into it.

“Are those who bought votes trying to buy students with marks?”, Kamal hits out  at the ruling AIADMK’s announcement to declare all students having arrears to pass without having the need to write exams.

Kamal Haasan said that while he may differ with Surappa’s policy bias and political ideology, he won’t remain a spectator if an honest man is hunted down.

Kamal said “This isn’t the problem between just an educator and politicians. The war is between an honest individual and a collection of corrupt politicians”, in a veiled attack at both the AIADMK and DMK.

He said that the witch-hunt unleashed on Surappa is a message that they will destroy one’s life if they refuse to indulge in corruption.

“We will spread false information and will deform your identity is the threat to Surappa and other such honest officials. From Sagayam to Santhosh Babu, the list of victims to corrupt politician is huge.” Kamal said in the video.

“We must not let this continue anymore. We must not create another Nambi Narayanan” Kamal said referring to how the former ISRO scientist was witch-hunted by the then Communist government in Kerala and urged those who wished to stand by truth to speak up.

The recent attack on MK Surappa started with DMK Youth Wing Secretary ‘actor’ Udhayanidhi Stalin launched a tirade against the Anna University Chancellor who was helping Anna University get the ‘Institute of Eminence’ tag that would up the standards of the college.

The AIADMK too toed the DMK’s line with respect to the ‘IoE’ tag. Following this, Minister for Higher Education K.P. Anbalagan launched a series of attacks on the Vice Chancellor.