Amid fury raised by fringe elements over Naseeruddin Shah’s latest comments, Shiv Sena has delivered a shocker. Manisha Kayande from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the actor should move to Pakistan if he doesn’t feel comfortable in India. The remarks came under heavy criticism from some who have accused him of ‘defaming’ India. The actor, however, justified his remark and his rights to express his views.
“Similar sentiments were expressed by another actor Amir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao. This is the second actor who has used such language after enjoying all the benefits that this country had to offer .If he is not satisfied, he should go and live in Pakistan,” Manisha Kayande said.
But the actor’s fears may not be far-fetched given that certain right-wing groups have come all guns blazing at him. Ajmer literature festival in Rajasthan was called off as Shah was to deliver a keynote address at the event amid protests by right wing groups over the veteran actor’s comments.
A fringe group from Uttar Pradesh, UP Navnirman Sena booked air-tickets for Naseeruddin Shah to travel to Pakistan.
Ahead of the event, right-wing protestors reached the venue and sloganeered. One of the protesters threw black ink on the Shah’s posters. Co-ordinator of the event, Raas Bihari Gaur told PTI, “Shah was scheduled to inaugurate the festival but he did not come because of the protest by some locals over his comments”.
Shah had come under fire for his comments on Islamophobia in India. “Are the lives of Muslims less valuable than the life of a cow?” the Bollywood actor asked kin the aftermath of Bulandshahr violence that claimed the lives of two people including a policeman. He suggested that he fears for the safety of his children in India where the life of a cow is more significant than the life of Indians.
“It will be very difficult to capture this djinn back into the bottle again. There is complete impunity for those who take law into their own hands. In many areas we are witnessing that the death of a cow is more significance than that of a police officer,” Shah said.
Post Your Comments