Mumbai: More than 150 residents of various layers of society have supported Lyricist-Poet Javed Akhtar and actor Naseruddin Shah on their statements about the Taliban.
The right activist section has attacked Akhtar for comparing the Taliban with Sangh’s parivar clothes in an interview to the TV channel.
BJP MLA RAM Kadam demands an apology from Akhtar and threatens to boycott the film that shows his family members.
In a statement on Tuesday, citizens condemned “Hounding Outright of Intellectual, Poet and Actor”.
“We, the undersigned, supported the recent interview provided by the author and poet, Javed Akhtar to the media in the context of the Taliban return to Afghanistan.
We condemn efforts to intimidate him and confirm their rights to speak his view.
We disagree With those who are in Sangh Parivar, led by BJP MLA and the other elements of the wider Parivar who have objected to the understanding of right-wing supremacy, both from Muslim or Hindu types, “said the statement.
Among the signatories including the Admiral (RTD) L Ramdas, academic activist J s Bandukwala, activist Teesta Setalvad, Anand from Indian Muslims for secular democracy (IMSD), filmmakers Anand Patwardhan and Professor Emeritus from JNU Zoya Hasan.
“We agree with him despite the religion whose name they claim to speak, wingers – be their Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian – share the world view of the majority.
This is evidenced when it comes to their views on women’s status,” they said.