Tarek Fatah with India TV's Editor-In-Chief and Chairman Rajat Sharma in Aap Ki Adalat.
He is not the one to mince words, he is never shy and he speaks his mind. This is the style of Pakistani-Canadian author Tarek Fatah and he gives it a twist further with a style and charm totally unique to him. Tarek Fatah was in the witness box in Aap Ki Adalat, the iconic show anchored by India TV's Editor-In-Chief and Chairman Rajat Sharma. He was grilled yes, but he answered in way only a man of his candour can.
Tarek Fatah spoke freely on many things. Generally, when tough questions are asked, a person tends to present a diplomatic answer.
But that's not Tarek Fateh's style. He takes things head on.
He openly expressed his displeasure about Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Tarek Fateh opined that Imran Khan does not possess political intellect to lead a nation and even slammed Khan for his "playboy" behaviour.
"Nawaz Sharif is the real PM of Pakistan, not Imran Khan," said Tarek Fatah directly. When Rajat Sharma reminded him that Imran Khan had secured victory in Pakistan elections, Tarek Fateh contested the validity saying that voter turnout was low and there were several constituencies where only 2 per cent of voters turned up to vote.
"Military has the real power in Pakistan," he asserted. He slammed the tendency of military and political establishment of suppressing the local culture. This, he said includes imposition of Urdu. Fateh underlined that people in Pakistan occupied Kashmir want independence from Pakistan.
The attitude and misgovernance of Pakistani establishment will result in disintegration of Pakistan in the next 20 to 25 years, Tarek Fatah said.
He took many potshots at Imran Khan. Fatah said that Imran Khan was raking up Kashmir issue unnecessarily and spoke in United Nations General Assembly even when the hall was empty. Fatah said Imran Khan's wife Bushra Begum believed in black magic. Tarek Fatah said that Pakistanis did not even know what was Article 370 and started making noise only after it was abrogated.
Read | Imran Khan kept speaking even when UNGA hall was empty: Tarek Fatah in Aap Ki Adalat
Tarek Fateh spoke strongly in favour of construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
"Why shouldn't Ram Mandir be built in Ayodhya?" he asked, underlining what should be done. He decried Mughal Emperor Babur for his invasion of India and protested against his attitude towards Indians.
"Who is Babur?" asked Tarek Fatah,"You should read his book 'Baburnama' to know his atitude towards Indians" he added.
Tarek Fatah said that Mughal Emperor Babur equated Indians with monkeys and condescendingly called them dark-skinned.
"How can we tolerate this?" he asked.
He alleged that Mughal invaders invaded India not to rule peacefully but just to loot riches of the land.
Read | Imran Khan's wife Bushra bibi believes in black magic: Tarek Fatah in Aap Ki Adalat
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tarek Fatah said: "Gujarat may not be having its regiment in the Indian army, but the Prime Minister from Gujarat has done what others could not do for the last 70 years."
On the changing of names of Mughalsarai and Allahabad, Tarek Fatah justified these and said: "It was Bakhtiyar Khilji who destroyed the world's biggest Nalanda university. Do you know the name of the railway station there? It is Bakhtiarpur junction. During 1,000 years of rule by Muslims kings, the holiest place of Hindus, Prayagraj, was named Allahabad.
Watch the full episode here
