Bollywood actors stand with SRK after ‘Pakistani agent’ rant

By
AFP
|
Bollywood actors stand with SRK after ‘Pakistani agent’ rant

Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan has received support from several quarters of Bollywood after being called a ‘Pakistani agent’ and compared to Hafiz Saeed by the ruling BJP leaders.

Khan had spoken out strongly on the importance of keeping India secular, telling the Indian media, “religious intolerance is the worst thing and will take India to the dark ages.”

A Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi had painted Shah Rukh Khan as a ‘Pakistani agent’ and called for him to be sent to Pakistan.

BJP’s VIjayvargiya had remarked that, “Shah Rukh lives in India but his heart is in Pakistan” but later retracted it. Senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu also rushed to clarify that Vijayvargiya spoke for himself and not the party.

SRK, who is routinely told to go to Pakistan, has told the Indian media on several occasions that it was degrading to keep proving his patriotism and that he wouldn't be leaving India. He, however, has not responded to the comments made by the BJP leader.

At a press conference regarding an upcoming film “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo”, Bollywood star Salman Khan opened up about SRK being termed a ‘Pakistani agent’ expressing his support for Shah Rukh.

Salman Khan said it was very unfortunate that Shah Rukh was termed a ‘Pakistani agent’. He added all who live in India were nothing else but Indians.

PRDP co-star Sonam Kapoor, who was also present at the event said, “Anything that is intolerant or that is said without complete evidence is unacceptable, so people just saying things in the name of religion, class, creed is disgusting and I think we should rest what we have to say at that point.”

Bollywood fraternity among many others took to Twitter to show their support for King Khan with #IStandWithSRK:













Notable among these are tweets from Anupam Kher, whose wife Kirron is the BJP MP from Chandigarh.