Kailash Vijaybargiya – a senior leader of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
from Madhya Pradesh – has called film actor Shah Rukh Khan traitor
after his recent remark on the growing culture of intolerance in India.
In a series of tweets, the ruling party leader equated Shah Rukh’s
actions (statements) to that of a traitor. His tweets read, "Shah Rukh
Khan lives in India but his heart is in Pakistan. His films earn
millions here but he sees India as an intolerant nation.”
Vijaybargiya believed that India was ‘near’ to become a ‘permanent’
member of the UN Security Council, but everyone was conspiring to derail
this dream. “To make India an intolerant nation is part of this
conspiracy. Shah Rukh is now singing in the same tune of intolerance
along with anti-India forces,” he said.
“When hundreds were killed in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts where was
Shah Rukh Khan? When Mumbai was attacked on 26/11 where was Shah Rukh
then? Today, the ‘whole’ world is taking note of India's leadership, at
this juncture talking about rising intolerance is like weakening India
globally,” he added.
This comes a day after the popular film star, celebrating his 50th
birthday in Mumbai, said that he supports the artistes who have returned
their awards and believes they are brave. However, he has never really
been a part of something this huge and meaningful and he may return his
Padma Shri symbolically.
The film actor was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2005. When quizzed
on why he hasn't taken a stand on current issues, he compared the
situations in India and the US. “Here we have a country where there are
lots of things you can't talk, I can't talk, what is said is broken
down. America has a little more leeway in speaking a voice. We talk
about freedom of speech, but people come outside my house and throw
stones if I take a stand on X thing or Y thing like I have taken
before,” he said.
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