Vatal Nagaraj threatens State-wide bundh over Kamal Haasan’s remarks against Kannada

Activist Vatal Nagaraj leading a protest against actor Kamal Haasan, condemning the latter’s remarks against Kannada, in Mysuru on Monday. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Pro-Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj has threatened a State-wide bundh over Tamil actor Kamal Haasan’s remarks against Kannada.

Mr. Nagaraj, who led a protest against the actor in Mysuru on Monday, said thousands of Kannada activists were ready to go to jail if Mr. Haasan’s new film ‘Thug Life’ is released in Karnataka.

Pointing to the protests against Mr. Haasan for his reported statement that ‘Kannada was born out of Tamil’, Mr. Nagaraj said the entire State was demanding an apology from the film actor. “If he does not apologise, we will boycott Kamal Haasan, and we will not allow either him or his movies to enter the State’s borders,” he said.

“All the pro-Kannada organisations in the State will join and give a call for State-wide bundh,” he said.

Terming Mr. Haasan’s statement as an ‘insult’ to Kannada, Mr. Nagaraj regretted that politicians including MLAs, MPs, and Ministers should take to the streets to voice their ire over the alleged disrespect shown to Kannada.

He called upon Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to convene a one-day session of the State Legislature to uphold the glory, culture, and sovereignty of Kannada language.

Mr. Nagaraj also criticised the alleged assault on an autodriver in Bengaluru reportedly by a woman from North India with a footwear.

Published - June 02, 2025 07:12 pm IST