#NotInMyName: I’m versus all fundamentalism, says Shabana Azmi

Mumbai: Veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who has often raised her voice against various issues, on Monday clarified her stance in backing the ‘Not in My Name’ protests, stating that she will continue standing up against all fundamentalism.

The 66-year-old actress took to Twitter to clarify her stance after she took part in the ‘Not In My Name’ protest, an anti-lynching movement on June 28.

Shabana talked about it when a fan on Twitter said that she has “so many times spoken against Triple Talaq, talked about Kashmiri Pandit exodus here only”.

Shabana replied: “Doesn’t suit them. I’m vs all fundamentalism. In NIMN (Not in My Name) campaign, I said it’s about all mob lynching including the DSP in Kashmir, the love Jehad.”

The ‘Not in My Name’ protests question the “pattern of attacks on the minorities in the country and the silence of the government” on the killings.

The “Neerja” actress responded to an open letter penned by a former senior journalist where he questioned her for remaining silent on other hate crimes in the name of the religion.

Azmi slammed the article with a tweet, “Every level charged here is untrue. Surprised such a senior journalist didn’t check facts and has resorted to spreading canard. Afsos (it’s sad).”

The ‘Not In My Name’ drive gained traction after Saba Dewan, a documentary filmmaker, took to Facebook to organise a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

It soon became big social media campaign with people turning up in huge numbers in other cities such as Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Apart from Azmi, actresses Konkona Sensharma and Kalki Koechlin also participated in the protest held at Carter Road in suburban Bandra.