Bengaluru: Pro-Kannada outfit Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, led by Praveen Shetty, on Wednesday lodged a formal police complaint against veteran actor Kamal Haasan over his controversial remark that “Tamil gave birth to Kannada.” The statement, made during the audio launch of his upcoming film Thug Life in Bengaluru, has stirred strong reactions across Karnataka.
The complaint was filed at the RT Nagar Police Station, with the organisation accusing Haasan of “hurting the sentiments of Kannadigas” and “creating linguistic discord” between the Kannada and Tamil communities.
“Kamal Haasan’s statement is not only factually incorrect but also deeply insulting to the people of Karnataka. It has sown seeds of poison between Kannadigas and Tamils,” the complaint read.
The actor’s remarks reignited the long-standing cultural and linguistic sensitivities between the two states. While addressing the audience at the event, Haasan had said, “Tamil gave birth to Kannada,” a comment that quickly went viral and drew sharp criticism online.
