MUMBAI – Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah remarks regarding his children’s safety in India have ignited a new debate on Twitter.
The trolls from right-wing supporters on Friday (yesterday) attacked the 68-year- old actor who later clarified his intent saying he made those comments as a “worried Indian” and that he has the right to express concerns about the country he loves.
Shah had earlier voiced his concerns over the growing mob violence in a video interview with Karwan-e-Mohabbat India, a collaborative civil society initiative against mass violence. The organization had shared the video on its YouTube channel on Monday.
https://twitter.com/kashmiri_kurii/status/1075783660664610816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075783660664610816&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.dailypakistan.com.pk%2Flifestyle%2Fi-fear-for-my-children-in-todays-india-naseeruddin-shah%2F
In the video, Shah said the “poison has already spread” and it will be now difficult to contain it. He added, “the death of a cow has more significant than that of a police officer”, referring to the Bulandshahr violence where a policeman lost his life to mob fury over alleged cow slaughter.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/lifestyle/i-fear-for-my-children-in-todays-india-naseeruddin-shah/
BJP supporters and right-wing ideologists were quick to dismiss Shah’s comment saying it was politically motivated and aimed to show BJP in a negative light. Many said India ‘is safe and people of all religions are given rights and allowed to peacefully co-exist’. Some even asked Shah to leave India.
https://twitter.com/goswamihrn/status/1076134491398201344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1076134491398201344&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgulfnews.com%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Findia%2Fleave-the-country-trolls-tell-indian-actor-naseeruddin-shah-1.61063859
According to Indian newspaper the Times of India, Uttar Pradesh’s Navnirman Sena president Amit Jani called him a “traitor” and even booked a flight ticket to Karachi for the actor.
https://twitter.com/josephjTOI/status/1076038528973369344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1076038528973369344&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgulfnews.com%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Findia%2Fleave-the-country-trolls-tell-indian-actor-naseeruddin-shah-1.61063859
Photoshopped and edited news articles and edited videos about Naseeruddin Shah soon started circulating on Twitter.
Shah later clarified: “What I said earlier was as a worried Indian. I have said this earlier as well. What did I say this time that I am being called a traitor?… I am expressing concerns about the country I love, the country that is my home. How is that a crime?”
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1076031439165145089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1076031439165145089&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgulfnews.com%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Findia%2Fleave-the-country-trolls-tell-indian-actor-naseeruddin-shah-1.61063859
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