Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Sunday regretted that even the educated were ready to believe that one person could swindle a whopping Rs 1.76 lakh crore of public money.
Addressing a function organised in connection with the audio release of the movie Ilaignan, the Chief Minister wondered whether an individual could appropriate such a huge amount.
Silent movies
Recalling the days when he watched silent movies in his home town Tiruvarur, the Chief Minister likened the people's mentality now to that of those who watched silent movies and believed the words of the narrator that the mouth of mythical Bahasura's could be 30,000 miles.
“I was also one among those who watched the movies without questioning it,” he said, adding such scenes could be created only in the realm of fantasy, similar to what actor Rajinikanth had done by donning the role of a Robot in the film Enthiran.
“We have realised that an individual cannot do this,” he further said.
The Chief Minister said he was running a government for the welfare of the poor, since he was born in a poor family.
“Would I have thought about the poor, if I was born with a silver spoon?” he asked.
Pointing out that he had already donated the money he received for writing dialogues for the movie, after paying income tax, he recalled the days he received salary on a par with actor Sivaji Ganesan for penning dialogues. Ilaignan is his 75th movie. Lyricists Vali and Vairamuthu, actor Rajinikanth, DMK MP Kanimozhi, hero of the film P. Vijay, actor Kushboo, director Suresh Krishna and producer Martin were among those who participated.
