Films that involve songwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar will not be allowed to be screened in the country. Maharashtra MLA and BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam said this. The MLA took such a drastic step because Javed Akhtar compared the functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayameseval Sangha (RSS) to the way the Taliban behave. He has to apologize before the film industry releases any of his films.
The RSS who was an ideological parent of the BJP has long held that India is a Hindu ‘Rashtra or state. It was because of this that the lyricist and poet, during an interaction with the NDTV, drew a parallel between the Taliban and “those who want a Hindu Rashtra”. This angered Ram Kadam. So, in order to punish Javed Akhtar, he declared such a thing the day after.
In a video message that he shared on Twitter, Ram Kadam said, “This statement by Javed Akhtar is not just shameful, but painful and humiliating for crores of functionaries of the Sangha and the Vishva Hindu Parishad and crores of people across the world who follow their ideology”. According to him, the functionaries of these organizations serve the poorest of the poor and Javed Akhtar has insulted them.
When confronted by the media, the BJP spokesperson said that before making such kind of remarks, Javed should have kept in mind that people with the same ideology are running the government now. They are actually fulfilling Raj Dharma. If the idea was Talibani, he would not get the opportunity to make these remarks. It is because the Taliban intend to kill people who are against them in their country. This proves that his statements are hollow.
Mr. Kadam, who is MLA from Ghatkopar West said, “We will not allow any of his films to run in this land of Ma Bharti till he apologizes with folded hands to the functionaries of the Sangh who have dedicated their lives to the nation”.
Mr. Akhtar was also a former Member of the Parliament. He is the father of actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar. This poet-lyricist even has a daughter called Zoya Akhtar who is also a filmmaker. He is the husband of renowned actress Shabana Azmi.
When Mr. Akhtar spoke to the NDTV on Thursday, he said that the right-wing across the world want the exact same things. He clearly added, “Just like the Taliban want an Islamic state, there are those who want a Hindu Rashtra. These people are of the same mindset- be it Muslim, Christian, Jews, or Hindus. Of course, the Taliban is barbaric, and their actions are reprehensible, but those who support the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal are all the same”.
The reporters asked him a question about the remarks of some Muslim leaders. They welcomed the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan. To this he replied that the people who did this were a minuscule of the Muslim population of India. Because of such few people, the entire Muslim community in India could not be blamed.
