New Delhi: A BJP MLA from Mumbai has threatened to stop the films by lyricist Javed Akhtar, or his family members, from running in India if the lyricist did not apologise for remarks comparing the RSS and VHP to the Taliban.
In a 45-second video, posted on social media in both Hindi and Marathi Saturday, the Ghatkopar West MLA Ram Kadam said that it is the “same sangh parivar, which Akhtar criticised is now running the country”
#संघ तथा #विश्वहिंदूपरिषद के करोडों कार्यकर्ताओ की, जब तक हाथ जोड़कर #जावेदअख्तर माफी नही मांगते. तब तक उनकी तथा उनके परिवार की कोई भी #फिल्म इस #माभारती के भूमि पर नहीं चलेगी. pic.twitter.com/ahWgVQWuvH
— Ram Kadam – राम कदम (@ramkadam) September 4, 2021
जावेद अख्तर यांचे दुर्दैवी व्यक्तव्य न केवळ संघ, विश्वहिंदूपरिषद च्या कोट्यावदी कार्यकर्ते आणि जगभरातील या विचारधारेला मानणारे कोट्यावदी लोकांचा अपमान आहे! जोपर्यंत जावेदअख्तर हाथ जोडून माफी माँगत नाही तोपर्यंत त्याची, त्यांच्या परिवाराची कोणतीही फ़िल्म ह्या भूमित चालू देणार नाही pic.twitter.com/XZ0HrmNLMH
— Ram Kadam – राम कदम (@ramkadam) September 4, 2021
“If the mindset was similar to the Taliban then would Akhtar have the freedom to make such statements?” Kadam asked, adding that it was in this very answer that one should realise how khokla (meaningless) his statement was.
Besides releasing the video, Kadam also tweeted Sunday morning that at 12 pm Sunday, a complaint would be filed against Akhtar at the Ghatkopar Chiragnagar Police Station.
आज दोपहर 12 बजे घाटकोपर चिरागनगर पोलीस ठाणे जाकर हमारा प्रखर विरोध दर्शाते हुए #JavedAkhtar के खिलाफ शिकायत दर्ज करेंगे.
— Ram Kadam – राम कदम (@ramkadam) September 5, 2021
Akhtar’s remarks
In a recent interview, Javed Akhtar called the Taliban barbaric and condemned their actions, but added that the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal were all alike. It has also been reported that he compared the RSS and VHP to the Nazis.
Protesting against this comparison, the BJP youth wing took out a protest to Akhtar’s residence in Juhu Saturday.
One BJP youth wing member in the protests said, “We think that Akhtar is not mentally stable. This country has given him everything. RSS helps people at the grassroots and he has compared them to Taliban. This is unacceptable. If he doesn’t apologise, our agitation against him will only get more intense.”
Also read: Why BJP, Congress, Sena & NCP are all agreed over delaying local polls in Maharashtra