Naseeruddin Shah's pointless argument! "Couldn't recall when Indian Muslims intended humor on Hindu gods"
Shah, referring to Nupur Sharma"s comment on Hindu gods being insulted, said that he couldn"t recall any instance when a Muslim made such an inflammatory statement on a Hindu deity.
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Mumbai, June 9: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah shared his thoughts about the ongoing Nupur Sharma case, saying that he hopes good sense prevails and the ‘hate wave’ against Muslims dissipates even if that doesn't happen in his lifetime.
This also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world, calling for a boycott of Indian products." "These kinds of statements in a country like Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Afghanistan, which we hope to include in 'Akhand Bharat' some day, would result in a death sentence because it would be considered blasphemous. Here, there was not a sound from the top and absolutely no acknowledgment of the hurt caused to millions of believers," said Shah.
But when Sharma faced death threats, he said it should be condemned. "To even think that way is wrong. That is why Pakistan and Afghanistan are in the situation they are in. We don't want to emulate these countries, but we are somehow doing so. People are killed on the suspicion of slaughtering cow. These things happened in barbaric Islamic countries - not India."
Shah also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in and "stop this poison from spreading". "I would appeal to him (PM) to knock some good sense into these people. If he believes what was said at the 'Dharam Sansad' in Rishikesh, then he should say so. If he does not, then he should say so," he said, while giving an interview to a private media house.
The BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson, Nupur Sharma, and expelled its Delhi media head, Naveen Kumar Jindal, after their controversial remarks against the Prophet.
Sharma claimed she was reacting to "continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev (Lord Shiva)" and withdrew her statement. The government said the comments reflected views of "fringe elements".
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Amidst the protests by Muslim groups over the remarks, the party also issued a statement aimed at assuaging concerns of minorities & distancing itself from these members, asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality.
This also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world, calling for a boycott of Indian products." "These kinds of statements in a country like Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Afghanistan, which we hope to include in 'Akhand Bharat' some day, would result in a death sentence because it would be considered blasphemous. Here, there was not a sound from the top and absolutely no acknowledgment of the hurt caused to millions of believers," said Shah.
"It's hardly meant to assuage hurt feelings. I wouldn't be surprised if such a hate speech occurs again. It's ironic you talk of peace and unity; you get locked up in jail for more than a year. You talk of genocide and you get a slap on the wrist. There are double standards working here. It's like the double-think of George Orwell's '1984'."
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Shah said he puts "complete responsibility" on TV news channels & social media for "propagating hate". "It's a manufactured hate. It's a kind of venom that begins to spew when you are confronted with somebody with an opposite opinion... I wonder how long it is before the ‘shivlings’ start to be searched under every church," Shah said.
But when Sharma faced death threats, he said it should be condemned. "To even think that way is wrong. That is why Pakistan and Afghanistan are in the situation they are in. We don't want to emulate these countries, but we are somehow doing so. People are killed on the suspicion of slaughtering cow. These things happened in barbaric Islamic countries - not India."
He also argued that it was "high time" that sensible Hindus spoke up against the hate towards the Muslim community. Shah, referring to Nupur Sharma's comment on Hindu gods being insulted, said that he couldn't recall any instance when a Muslim made such an inflammatory statement on a Hindu deity.
In the video below, comedian Munawar Faruqui can be spewing jokes about the Hindu deities. These are just some instances, if we dig deeper, many more such instances will come forth which prove Shah’s statement utterly false.
