This is a tragedy that shouldn’t have happened, says Kamal on Anita’s death

Expressing grief at the suicide of medical aspirant Anita, the daughter of a poor labourer who had scored 1176 marks out of a possible 1200 in the Plus Two public examinations, actor Kamal Haasan said that this was a tragedy that should not have happened.

The actor, who had called on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his residence, chose to take questions from reporters after the meeting.

When a reporter asked him about the death of Anita, who took the extreme step after not being able to realise her dream of becoming a doctor because of NEET, Kamal expressed his grief and anger.

Talking in Tamil, he said, “Can there be another tragedy that can surpass this? Do not immediately go into which village she came from, what was her caste and all that. All that is not important. She is my daughter. Should I feel angry only if that girl’s name is Shruthi or Akshara? What I say is that we should cut across caste, party, or for that matter, even across state borders and fight for this. We should fight for justice. We have buried a girl who was living with dreams. People who said, ‘Behold, there is good news coming!” have all disappeared. So has that girl. All the parties must rise. Comrade Thirumavalavan is there. People like him must rise in anger over this injustice. People must rise over parties to fight for this. This is about my children. It is about his children. It is about our family. He has to come. Not just him. Others too. Everybody must come. Anita is like a daughter to me too. Her marks tell me that we have lost a good doctor.”

When he was asked the same question in English, Kamal said, ” This is a tragedy that should not have happened. Any sensible politician, any sensible citizen should walk– cutting across lines based on caste, community, parties– and get together and shout for justice. Because ultimately, justice, government and the courts are for us. Our argument has probably been weak. I don’t know… We have to better our arguments and make our arguments loud and the courts will not say that this is the final judgement – do or die – They will not say that.”

When asked what action the governments at the centre and the state must take, Kamal replied, “The governments at the centre and the state and the courts — all of these are things that we set up. We must argue our case well there. All those who must be arguing there are busy bargaining. Then, how will people live? If you (politicians) can learn lessons only by such suicides continuing, then, don’t learn. We ourselves will learn the lesson. or better still, we will teach you a lesson.”