Shah Rukh Khan growing intolerance row: Mr. Prime Minister do not deceive the nation by adopting dual tactics!

Hum aah bhi karte hain to ho jate hain badnaam,

(We are tarnished even when we just take a sigh)

Wo qatal bhi karte hain to charcha nahin hota.

(There is no debate even if they commit murder) 

This Urdu couplet suits to a Capital ‘T’ to describe the utterance by renowned Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan regarding the growing intolerance in the country. 

Before Shah Rukh put his stamp on the growing intolerance many Bollywood personalities including veteran filmmakers Gulzar and Mahesh Bhatt had openly condemned the menace of growing intolerance but there was no outcry but the movement ‘Superstar’ Shah Rukh Khan supported the movement suddenly there is a hullabaloo over his remark from every nook and corner of the country!

A close examination of SRK’s remarks reveals that he has said nothing that is unpatriotic. Like a true patriot he has only urged the countrymen not to rip-apart the secular fabric of the country and live in harmony. 

However it is sheer tragic that the left wing Hindu fundamentalist leaders have termed him ‘Deshdrohi’ (Traitor), some have tarnished his patriotism by framing him ‘Pakistani Agent’ and worst some have equated him with Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed. 

To add salt to injury on wounds of Shah Rukh Khan, eminent Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has went a step ahead and demanded Shah Rukh Khan to give away his Padmashree Award and all the money that came his way following the laurel. 

What is interesting is that while these ‘irrational remark’ have been made by the leaders of Hindu outfits the BJP Party has distanced itself from this controversy. 

The BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli has clearly sidelined from such ‘ridiculous’ comments and has asserted, “The BJP party does not support the comments on Shah Rukh Khan. They are incorrect and uncalled for. They do not reflect in any way the core belief of BJP or that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” 

Mr. Prime Minister you and your BJP party may be clean and working for the progress of the country but it is your affiliated group of parties who are creating unnecessary tension in the country be it the killing of rationalists MM Kalburgi and Govind Pansare, or the lynching of a man over suspicions he consumed beef, or the infamous ghar-wapsi etc. 

Hence if the government wishes to curb the protest against ‘Growing Intolerance’ than Mr. Prime Minister kindly come clean on the issue and do not deceive the nation by adopting dual tactics that of pampering the Hindu allied groups on one side and on the other keeping yourself clean from their crime!!!