Naseeruddin Shah comments: Imran Khan continues with India obsession, uses Jinnah’s birth anniversary to drive agenda

Amid the outrage about his comments about Bulandshahr and the tolerance debate that followed, Naseeruddin Shah said the reactions had ‘angered’ him and that his comments were being ‘misconstrued as the insecurity of a Muslim living in India’.

According to a report in The Hindu, he said that no one in his family ever faced discrimination. He said that he wasn’t only speaking for himself but for everyone. He said: “The Dalits or the farmers or the Christian community or students or anti-traditionalists or citizens from India’s North-East are no less insecure in their own country and that fact, instead of being a matter of shame for us all, invites accusations of sedition if solidarity with any of them is shown.”

Why I didn’t speak up before

He also said he hadn’t spoken up when Sikhs were massacred in 1984 or Kashmiri Pandits had been forced to migrate  because he was a ‘nobody’ and added, ‘Who’d listen to an unemployed actor mouthing off?’

About the accusations that he was being paid by Congress to defame the country, he called the ‘accusations dumb’ and said:  By that reasoning I was probably paid by the Aussies to diss Virat Kohli!”

The veteran actor had Friday said that the death of a cow was being given importance over killing of a policeman in the violence. 

Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana took sides with Shah and urged that one must ponder over the statement rather than merely reacting on it.

“Everyone should have a right to share their thoughts with their friends or other people without any fear. We should be wary of reacting, acting or doing a trial on any such comment. If any of our brother or friend is saying something, we should not only listen to them but must also ponder over it," Rana said while interacting with media.

"Independence stands for simplicity and gentleness and that is what our culture is," the actor added.

Madhur Bhandarkar

Meanwhile, Madhur Bhandarkar also expressed his support for Shah saying that everyone has their own point of view. "Everyone has the right to speak. We live in a democratic country. I don't think there is any fear. Everyone is equal in India and this is his point of view, this is the special thing about our country that everyone can express their opinions. I don' think there is any problem or intolerance," he added.

Yoga guru Ramdev said that Naseeruddin Shah's remarks on mob violence amounted to degrading the country's pride. "Naseeruddin Shah has earned his popularity due to love of common people. I have not seen religious intolerance. I, of course, see political intolerance. I think accusing India of religious intolerance is equal to degrading country's pride," he said. "Labelling one's own country with religious intolerance is akin to ungratefulness, disrespect and treason," he added

Rebuffing allegations that intolerance was rising in the country, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said there was no nation in the world as tolerant as India.

Singh, who was here to attend the 114th foundation day of King George's Medical University, told reporters: "The tolerance that exists in India, I don't think that it can be found in any corner of the world." "India is the only country in the world where people from various prominent religions co-exist peacefully... They have contributed in making India empowered, self-reliant and prosperous and will continue to do so," he added.

Speaking to ANI, Kher said, "There is so much freedom in the country that you can abuse the army, badmouth the air chief and pelt stones at the soldiers. How much more freedom do you need in a country?"

Amid a controversy over Naseeruddin Shah's remarks on mob violence, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Saturday said the veteran actor's children need not feel scared as tolerance was in the DNA of the country.

Naqvi, while referring to Shah's remarks, also said a mountain was being made out of a molehill.  

"I think his emotions may have been right, but his words were probably misconstrued and a mountain out of a molehill was made. India is a tolerant country. Tolerance and harmony are in the DNA of the country and despite any circumstances, nobody succeeded in destroying the strong legacy," Naqvi told PTI during his visit to the city.

"There is no need for his (Shah's) children to be scared. The country is moving ahead on the basis of the Constitution and in a democratic country, there is no need to fear anybody," the Minority Affairs Minister added.

Member of Parliament and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter to hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the latter's remark that he would show the Narendra Modi government "how to treat minorities". In a tweet on Sunday, Owaisi said Khan should instead take a lesson from India's inclusive politics and minority right. "According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. It's high time Khan sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief said.