Kamal Haasan Hits Back at Musk Over Starlink
Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan has criticised Elon Musk over the Starlink India controversy, saying no billionaire, whether Indian or American, should be allowed to dictate national policy.
Kamal Haasan Responds to Elon Musk
Haasan’s remarks came after Musk accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink’s commercial launch in India to preserve their market dominance.
Musk later questioned whether Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani was the “real boss of India”, escalating his criticism of the regulatory delays affecting Starlink.
Haasan rejected that line of argument, saying India was a democracy and not a colony, and that decisions affecting the country’s future must ultimately be made by Indians.
Starlink Security and Affordability in Focus
Haasan said India should welcome competition from both domestic and international companies if they can improve connectivity in remote and underserved regions.
However, he warned that satellite internet would not automatically solve the digital divide if subscription charges and equipment costs remained beyond the reach of ordinary households.
He also stressed that telecom networks and spectrum are strategic assets and argued that national security safeguards must remain non-negotiable.
Government Rejects Claims of Starlink Bias
The Indian government has rejected Musk’s allegation that Starlink is being unfairly blocked.
Starlink, Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb have obtained licences but still need to complete security assessments and spectrum-related approvals before beginning full commercial services.
Haasan also accused Western countries of applying double standards by demanding open markets abroad while protecting strategic domestic sectors at home.
