Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, who is at the centre of a raging row over his Hindu extremist remarks, Friday said "every religion has its own terrorists" and that no one can claim to be sanctimonious.
The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief also said that he was not afraid of being arrested but warned any such action would escalate tensions.
Haasan said the remarks made during the Aravakurichi Assembly segment bypoll campaign meet on Sunday were not made for the first time, even as he asserted that "every religion has its own terrorist" and "this shows that all religions have their extremists."
The actor-politician, who had filed an anticipatory bail plea after an FIR was registered in Aravakurichi in Karur district for his remarks, said he had made similar comments in Chennai during the Lok Sabha election campaign but it was being taken note of now by those people "whose confidence is dipping."
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reported statement that a Hindu cannot be a terrorist, Haasan said, "History and history teachers are there to respond to him."