A country that does not respect agriculture will fall: Kamal Haasan

Farmers were "annadaata", said the actor-turned-politician, who earlier deputed a party delegation to express solidarity with the agitating farmers near Delhi

Tiruchirappally: Backing the farmers protesting against the contentious Central farm laws outside Delhi, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan on Monday said any country that “does not respect agriculture will fall.”

Farmers were “annadaata”, Haasan, who earlier deputed a party delegation to express solidarity with the agitating farmers near the national capital, told reporters here. “A country that does not respect agriculture will fall. I believe that should not happen to our country. They (farmers) are the annadata (providers of food),” Haasan said.

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He was responding to a question on the more than a month-long farmers’ protest in Delhi, where ryots mainly from Punjab and Haryana have held ground demanding repealing of Centre’s three farm laws.

To a question on actor Rajinikanth, who was discharged from a Hyderabad hospital on Sunday after being treated for blood pressure fluctuations, Haasan wished him good health, saying that was more important.

Asked if the superstar, who is slated to launch his political party next month, will come forward to join hands with him, Haasan only said “we have done so forty years ago,” in an apparent reference to their working together in many movies.

Haasan added “it is not necessary that friendship should go away” if they entered politics. Earlier, the two had hinted at working together in the field of politics.

To a question, he indicated his party might lead a ‘third front’ in the state for the 2021 Assembly elections, likely to be held in April-May next year. Matters like chief ministerial candidate have to be discussed with other probable partners, he added.

When asked about the actor highlighting late chief minister and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran in his election speeches, ruffling the feathers of the ruling party, and if he will also recall others like the late DMK president M Karunanidhi, the actor-politician said he will “do so at the appropriate time.”

The MNM chief also released what he claimed was a “bribe list” to be paid for various government services in the state such as providing birth certificate and driving licence.