Education only weapon to break shackles of dictatorship, Sanatan: Kamal Hassan

India Today

a day ago

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday described education as the only weapon capable of dismantling 'the shackles of dictatorship and Sanatan'. He was addressing a gathering at the Agaram Foundation event in Chennai, organised by actor Suriya's education charity.'Don't take anything else in your hands, only education. We cannot win without it, because the majority can make you lose. Majority fools (Moodargal) will make you lose; knowledge alone will seem defeated. That's why we must hold on to it (education) firmly,' the Makkal Needhi Maiam chief said, while calling for deeper public investment in knowledge systems and social empowerment.advertisementPraising the work of Agaram Foundation, which has supported thousands of underprivileged children in Tamil Nadu, Haasan said, 'True education and unconditional love are hard to come by. Apart from our mothers, institutions like Agaram Foundation are among the few places where we can still find them.' Reflecting on the difference between cinema and social service, he added, 'In cinema, we are crowned for our performances. But in social work, we are given a crown of thorns. It takes a strong heart to accept that crown. No one else will do this for us, we have to do it ourselves.'
Taking a direct swipe at the NEET policy implemented since 2017, Haasan argued that the law had effectively crushed the dreams of medical aspirants from poor and marginalised backgrounds. 'You can't see doctors of such a batch next year. There is a reason for what I'm saying, as after 2017, they are unable to continue their efforts. Now do you understand why we oppose NEET? Since 2017, that law has made such children unable to get education,' he said. He further pointed out that 'only education can provide the strength to change that law'.Citing a recent conversation with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, the Rajya Sabha MP said, 'Yesterday, I told the Chief Minister that NGOs were not asking for anything like money — they're only asking for permission to work. He assured me that steps are being taken in that direction. I am proud to be involved in this cause.'Haasan concluded his address with a reflection on leadership and legacy. 'Leadership is that which disappears (with time) into the society and not that stands and rules. It took me 70 years to understand this,' he said.- Ends
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