Actor-tunred-politician Kamal Haasan outlined a part of the ideological positions of his newly launched political party, the Makkal Needhi Maiam, in a speech he delivered at a public meeting in Madurai.
Here are some of the top quotes from Kamal Haasan's speech:
* People ask about my ideology, here it is - good quality education must reach all. Caste and religious games played on us must be stopped. Corruption has to be eradicated.
* I have repeatedly spoken of a solution to the Cauvery issue. You want water? I can get you blood from Karnataka. When there were floods in Tamil Nadu, did people from Karnataka and Bangalore not come here and donate their blood? When the people are willing to share, then where is the need for politics? Where is the need to create this fear of violence or that the people of the two states will kill each other. This has to stop.
* The six hands represents the six states of southern India.
* I am looking for the leaders of tomorrow in the crowd that stands in front of me.
* I am 63. I have not come to find a way to live forever. I am here to find the path to the future.
* Till now, I have not acted for free. I acted. You paid for your tickets to watch me. In one way or another, that money reached me as a salary. That is all that has been our relationship so far.
* The remainder of my life is now for you. That's why I am in a hurry. I have a desire to see some change before I go.
* Anyone can sell alcohol. I do not accept that the government has to use the money it makes from selling alcohol to fund its programmes.
