Singer Shaan Mukherji received backlash from Indian trolls after he extended an Eid Mubarak greeting to his Muslim fans.
The trolls questioned his right to extend greetings to a community to which he did not belong, but the singer responded with empathy and kindness towards people of different faiths.
In an Instagram Live video, Shaan clarified that his greeting was meant to be a “sign of respect and tolerance” towards other religions, and he urged his fans to exercise the same empathy and kindness. He pointed out that both Hindus and Muslims were celebrating their religious festivals on the same day that year.
He explained that he posted a screenshot from a music video he did three years ago, where he is seen reading namaaz, to wish his fans on Eid. He also revealed that he had been seeing negative comments on the post since he was in Mangalore for an event.
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Shaan, who is a Hindu, posted the picture dressed in a white shalwar kameez and prayer cap, and emphasized that his greeting was not meant to change the way he feels about his faith or anyone else’s. He stressed that if we cannot harbour respect and tolerance for other faiths and religions, then we won’t make any progress as a nation.
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The singer also pointed out the hypocrisy of his fans who did not criticize him when he shared pictures of himself at the Golden Temple, where covering one’s head is mandatory. He urged people to think about these issues and respect everyone’s culture.
Actor Anoushey Ashraf thanked Shaan for his wishes and commented on how the two nations are not very different in this regard. She wrote, “It’s how zealots keep fear, power, and authority over humanness. It’s how they interpret religion as a divider of people and how we follow like blind sheep.”
Overall, Shaan’s response to the criticism he received was commendable as he chose to use the opportunity to promote empathy and kindness towards all, regardless of their religious affiliations.
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