Mumbai: As the BJP leaders attacked Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan over his intolerance comment, he received unexpected support from Shiv Sena which said the superstar should not be targeted only because he is a Muslim and that the minority community in India is “tolerant”.
“This country is tolerant and the Muslims are tolerant as well. Shah Rukh Khan should not be targeted only because he is a Muslim,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said.
Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya had on Tuesday triggered a controversy when he said that Shah Rukh's ‘soul' is in Pakistan though he lives in India. In a series of tweets, Vijayvargiya called SRK a ‘traitor' and accused him of speaking in the rune of Pakistan.
His remarks came a day after the 50-year-old actor said there is “extreme intolerance” in the country.
Vijayvargiya, however, today withdrew his controversial tweets but asserted that had there been intolerance in India, Shah Rukh would not have been the most popular actor after Amitabh Bachchan.
Earlier today controversial BJP MP Yogi Adityanath compared Shah Rukh to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of Mumbai carnage, over his “extreme intolerance” comment and also suggested that he go to Pakistan.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sadhvi Prachi, infamous for her inflammatory statements, said, Shah Rukh Khan is an agent of neighboring country Pakistan as he reflects their (Pakistan's) ideology. Such a man should go to Pakistan.”
These attacks on King Khan came a day after his 50th birthday when he spoke on the issue of 'rising intolerance' in India and supported writers and filmmakers returning their awards in protest.
Shah Rukh in an interview had said, “There is extreme intolerance, there is growing intolerance, people just put words in the air before even thinking about it. And here's a secular country…we keep talking about modern India, we keep talking about progressing, we keep talking about the new India, and we just keep talking.”
“I don't think if this country is not going to be secular… the youngsters are not going to stand for it. This is the only advice I can give at 50. Intolerance religiously, not being secular in this country, it is the worst kind of crime you can do as a patriot” he had said.
Slamming Vijayvargiya, Raut asked the BJP general secretary not to bring Pakistan into this debate on tolerance, saying that it is India's internal matter.
He said Shah Rukh is a superstar only because India is tolerant.
“Shah Rukh Khan is a superstar only because the country is tolerant and has never thought in the name of religion,” the Sena leader said.
However, Raut said Shah Rukh spoke quite late on the issue.
“First of all Shah Rukh Khan should not have gotten into this debate on tolerance and secondly, out of the people who have returned their awards, the number of Muslims is almost negligible. Also, Shah Rukh spoke on the issue very late,” he said.
A number of other voices came out in support of King Khan including of actor Anupam Kher, a strong BJP supporter.
“Some members of the BJP really need to control their tongue & stop talking rubbish about @iamsrk. He is a national icon & We r PROUD of him,” Kher, a critic of writers and filmmakers returning the awards, tweeted.
