One nation, one election proposal is 'dangerous', not needed for India: Kamal Haasan

CHENNAI: Calling the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal a dangerous move against the federal structure of the nation, actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president Kamal Haasan on Saturday strongly opposed the BJP government’s move to implement the.

He listed out reasons why he opposed the proposal. “I am citing examples to make you easily understand how dangerous the ‘one nation one election’ proposal is. There are ample examples and lessons from across the World on how wrong the policy is. Such a decision left a deep scar in Europe and Russia. I believe it isn’t needed for India too,” he said while addressing his party’s general council meeting at Kamarajar Arangam here after being reelected as party president.

Kamal said that if simultaneous polls had been held in 2014 or 2015, it would have led to a complete sweep, resulting in a dictatorship, loss of freedom of speech and dominance of a single leader against the ethos of the constitution and nation. “You have to be thankful that we escaped from such a fate (from the implementation of simultaneous polls in 2014 polls). It is more like we escaped from a dangerous disease more virulent than COVID,” he noted.

Even though some might think such streamlining of polls would be helpful, it is a fallacy, the MNM chief said. Kamal asked the party workers, who had convened at the general council meeting, to imagine what would happen if all traffic lights flash in the same colour at the same time. He stressed the importance of allowing people time to think and make independent choices in a staggered election process followed at present.

Referring to himself as a ‘failed politician’, Kamal acknowledged the challenges he faced but added that failure is not a permanent state. He reminded his party workers that positions, including that of Prime Minister, are also not permanent. Without naming anyone, he affirmed that the democratic foundations laid by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr BR Ambedkar, and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru could not be easily overturned, despite efforts to undermine them.

In the general council meeting, MNM adopted as many as 16 resolutions including the one to re-elect Kamal Haasan as party president. In another resolution, the party directed its office bearers to ensure the induction of a minimum number of 5,000 new members in every Assembly constituency before June 25. The party also resolved to form a booth-level committee comprising five members in every polling station in the state.

MNM also passed a resolution to find the root cause for crimes against women and eliminate them to ensure their safety. The MNM will form a committee comprising scholars, social workers and experts to carry out detailed studies and submit its report and recommendations to the state and central governments on this issue, the general council resolved.