Kamal Haasan Shocked Over Police Action on Pro-jallikattu Protesters

Chennai: A day after Tamil Nadu Police allegedly forcibly evicted pro-jallkattu protesters from Marina beach, superstar Kamal Haasan on Tuesday said he wanted "reasonable explanation" for the action.

The popular actor said he was shocked that women and children were caught in the melee. On videos which have gone viral purportedly showing police personnel indulging in arson and beating women, Haasan said he hoped they were not 'real cops'.

"Equally shocked to see video of cop committing arson, hope some sort of explanation is given to us so that we can calm down...Hope, cops seen in videos are not real," he said.

Referring to the protests, the top star said said it was a symbol of discontent. The uprising is "absolutely legitimate", adding, he was very touched by the protests.

On the ban on Jallikattu, Haasan said more people die in accidents than the bull-taming sport.

The actor said that we should not blame entire police department for the mistake committed by a single person.

"Will have to criticise bad policemen...Can't criticise all...There are good policemen and bad policemen like good actor and bad actor", the 62-year-old actor said.

On demands for banning animal rights group PETA, he said he did not support banning PETA. "Can correct them, if they are wrong."

Talking about the culture of ban, he said he is against any kind of ban -- be it on his movies or bulls.

"Don't come around with ban. Try and regulate it. More people die in automobile accidents than in Jallikattu. We don't ban automobile driving or car racing sport. My film (‘Vishwaroopam') was banned because some people claimed it was anti-Muslim, but it was not," he said.

Quoting an example from his own life, Haasan said: "I was a part of a Hindi agitation movement in Tamil Nadu. It was not against the language Hindi. I used to pray in Sanskrit. It was not even against the people. It was against the thrusting of Hindi language on us (Tamilians) and making us illiterates overnight."

The super star, reacting to the police crackdown on protesters, had on Monday tweeted "aggressive police action on students' passive resistance will not bear good results."

He had also urged protesters not to resort to violence.

Haasan, a known jallikattu supporter, had earlier lauded students for conducting a peaceful stir on the bull taming sport, saying he had become a fan of these students.

Police had on Monday evicted scores of pro-jallikattu protesters from protest venues across Tamil Nadu, especially Marina beach, amid incidents of stone-pelting, torching a car and lathicharge at a few places in the city.

Also, the super star termed the Marina beach protests as a symbol of Tamil solidarity and said people found a reason to express people's anger through mass protests in Tamil Nadu.

He said, "Jallikattu was a reason, we were looking for a reason...I was a part of Hindi agitation; it was not against Hindi or people. We knew Gandhi Ji and Nehru Ji spoke in Hindi. It was on pressing the language on us and making us illiterate, it was about us losing government jobs. It was a series of events".

"I use this moment to speak for Jallikattu as this is my duty. You have a psyche its Indian First and Tamil. You have a duty to raise questions. I am only enhancing your head," said Haasan.