How dare he: Akbar Khan

Akbar Khan is furious with BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for trying to extract political mileage from his brother Feroz's statements.

The kind of reception that we've got in Pakistan for the premiere and release of 'Taj Mahal' has been overwhelming. At the airport, we were received personally by the culture minister. We are extremely jubilant. Mahesh Bhatt, Shatrughan Sinha and I are very sure that soon we will have a co-production and we'll be releasing more films in Pakistan.

Unfortunately, Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is spoiling things for us by making irresponsible statements regarding my brother (Feroz Khan). He says that my brother is 'a true nationalist' because of the statements he made in Pakistan. Naqvi is neither a Muslim, Hindu, Indian nor a nationalist. He is diabolical. He is trying to give a political and communal interpretion to what my brother said in the heat of the moment.

There has been a human error in my brother's language of expression. He has been misquoted. How dare the BJP vice-president use my brother's name to stir communal passion! It is an insult to my whole family.  He should be stripped of his post and someone more responsible like Mr Shatrughan Sinha should be appointed instead, as he speaks of love and brotherhood.

The current BJP vice-president should retract his statements, which has brought bitterness to the whole issue on both sides of the border.

As told to Faheem Ruhani.