The Congress on Tuesday backed Bollywood actor Aamir Khan for his views on rising intolerance in the nation and he hoped Aamir won’t be referred to as a ‘Congress man’ after his remark.
“What Aamir Khan, one of the most respected actor has said, and in the presence of senior BJP people, is what the whole world is saying, all of India is saying, all right-minded people are saying. I only hope and trust that he will not be referred to as a ‘Congress man’, not to be told as a biased person, he will not be referred to in derogatory terms,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
Singhvi further said that instead of criticising people like Aamir, heed must be paid to the message given by him.
Echoing similar sentiments, another Congress leader PL Punia said what Aamir Khan has said is also being felt by people at international level.
“It’s a big thing to think to go out of the country for the children’s future,” he said.
Punia slammed veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher for saying that Aamir should ‘spread hope instead of fear’.
“Anupam Kher is trying to please the present government and his wife herself is a BJP MP. It is not expected of Anupam Kher to make this matter light. This is really bad,” he added.
In a series of tweets expressing disappointment over Khan’s remarks, Kher asked if Khan would suggest millions of Indians to leave the country or to wait till the regime changes.
“Dear @aamir_khan. #SatyamevaJayate u talked about evil practices but gave Hope. So even in ‘Intolerant’ times u need 2 spread Hope not Fear,” Kher tweeted.
Speaking at the eighth edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Khan had yesterday expressed ‘alarm’ and despondency over the rise in such cases ‘in the last six to eight months’.
He had said that a sense a sense of ‘insecurity’ and ‘fear’ had seeped deep within society.
“When I go home and talk to Kiran (Aamir’s wife), for the first time she says,’Should we move out of India’,” Khan said.
“She (Kiran Rao) fears for her child and what the atmosphere around us will be,” he added.ANI