Kamal Haasan’s move to return cash to donors triggers debate

By R Sivakumar  |  Express News Service  |   Published: 18th November 2017 03:18 AM  |  

Kamal Haasan (Photo | PTI)

CHENNAI: Film-maker Kamal Haasan’s decision to return huge cash donations that his fans had pooled in for meeting the financial requirements of his yet-to-be-launched party has become the talk of the town among political circles in the State capital. A few have welcomed the move of the aspiring leader, while some others have sounded sceptical.

“It is a right thing to return the cash,” said Arappor Iyakkam convener Jayaram Venkatesan. “Legally, he can’t keep donations meant for the political party before launching it,” he added.

Kamal, who has been weighing all options before floating a political party with the aim to capitalise on the political vacuum prevailing in TN, made his intentions to return the cash donations offered by his fans known to the public through his weekly column in a Tamil magazine. He advised his fans to keep the amount intact so that they could send it back to him when required.

Jayaram stressed the point that if actors Kamal and Rajinikanth took a plunge into politics, they should adopt a transparent approach to funding and should place before the public all relevant details.

However, a few others sounded sceptical of Kamal’s action, questioning when he had collected huge donations and whether data on the donors was properly compiled and maintained.

Sceptical over action

A few persons sounded sceptical of Kamal’s action, questioning whether data on the donors was properly compiled and maintained. “Whom did he collect the amount from? When did he collect?” wondered political commentator M G Devasahayam.