Speaking at an event hosted by the Agaram Foundation in Chennai, he urged people to invest in education as a means to empower and uplift society, especially the marginalised sections.
“Education is the only weapon that can break the chains of dictatorship and Sanatan,” Haasan said, reported ANI.
He cautioned against relying on anything else, stating, “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 in Tamil) will make you lose, knowledge alone will seem defeated. That’s why we must hold on to it firmly.”
Praise for Agaram Foundation’s workÂ
Kamal Haasan, Founder of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), commended the Agaram Foundation’s commitment to providing meaningful education and emotional support to underprivileged communities.
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“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,” he said, as per ANI.
He drew a contrast between cinematic recognition and the challenges of social work. “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,” he added.
Concerns over NEET; conversation with Tamil Nadu CMÂ
Addressing the limitations faced by aspiring students, Haasan expressed concerns over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), introduced in 2017.
“Even Agaram Foundation, despite its best efforts, cannot help students beyond a point because the law doesn’t allow it. To change the law, we need strength and that strength can only come from education,” Haasan said.
He also shared his recent conversation with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“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,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
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Haasan’s remarks come amid a wider debate on Sanatan dharma and caste issues, with Nationalist Congress Party – Sharad Pawar faction (NCP-SP) leader Jitendra Awhad recently stating that Sanatan dharma was not a religion. “There was never any religion called Sanatan Dharma. We are followers of Hindu Dharma,” Awhad said, as per the Hindustan Times.
Kamal Haasan recently made his debut in Parliament, taking oath as a newly-nominated Rajya Sabha member with backing from the DMK-led alliance, following MNM’s support during the 2024 general elections.
