| News Details |
| Aamir Khan’s shocker | | 
Amit Kushari (IAS retd)
Aamir Khan’s recent interview came as a rude shock to many in India. He is not only an excellent actor and director, he is blessed with many intellectual qualities which many of his fellow actors and directors do not have. He is indeed, an iconic figure who is held in high regard. He had raised many important social issues in outstanding movies like “Taare Zameen Par” and “PK”. We applauded his film “PK” although there were many inappropriate, avoidable scenes mocking Hindu gods and goddesses. Those scenes became particularly objectionable because he himself is not a Hindu. So many times so many of us make jokes about Hindu Gods but that is a different issue because we ourselves are Hindus. If a Muslim jokes about Hindu Gods, it becomes a serious issue of intolerance and the height of impoliteness and impropriety . We all have to remember these norms. India is one of the most tolerant nations of the world and people from many neighbouring nations have sought refuge in India and usually India does not deny shelter to harassed neighbours. Adnan Sami of Pakistan and Taslima Nasreen of Bangladesh got refuge in India because India is a temple of tolerance, whereas Pakistan and to a lesser extent, Bangladesh, are intolerant nations. I think I should not bracket Bangladesh with Pakistan because 18 million Hindus are living more or less happily in Bangladesh, although they had shown great intolerance towards the talented writer, Taslima. She is unable to return to Bangladesh out of fear, having been branded “Wajib-ul-Qatl” (fit to be killed).
India gives its citizens an entirely secular constitution and 200 million Christains, Muslims and Sikhs are living in an almost peaceful atmosphere of mutual trust along with 1100 million Hindus. Some aberrations do occur here and there occasionally for which all Hindus hang their heads in shame. But that is the handiwork of a handful of misguided and mischievous narrow minded Hindu fanatics who certainly do not represent India. Those fanatics who killed Mohd. Akalaq or rationalist Kalburgi of Karnataka are criminals who have to be arrested and jailed—and with the permission of the Supreme court , should be hanged. Mother India has not become intolerant because of a handful of criminals.
How could Mr and Mrs Aamir Khan even think of quitting India? India is very proud of him. I do not support the idea of giving national awards to film stars and cricketers. They may be good entertainers but they do not contribute much to the progress of humanity. But I always had a different opinion about Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, because I thought that they were serious minded patriotic Indians who certainly deserve awards.
The fact that Aamir Khan’s movie, “PK” could run in packed houses and he could earn a profit of 300 crores in spite of hurting Hindu sentiments, proves beyond doubt that India is a tolerant country. Aamir Khan could not have mocked Islamic rituals in a movie to be released in Pakistan. He would have been beheaded by the Islamic Shariah courts for “ Gustakh-e-Rasool” (blasphemy). He could have faced similar consequences in Israel, Iran and other Arab countries.
Many people are asking a very simple question — which country will Aamir Khan migrate to — where will he get more comfort than India? In today’s world scenario, battered by Islamic terrorists like ISIS, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Boko Haram, Al Quaida, all Muslims are looked at with great suspicion. It is very unlikely that any developed country like USA UK,France,Canada, Russia, China would grant him a resident visa because everyone is dead scared of Muslims and their religious bigotry. Only Hafiz Sayeed of Pakistan may welcome him because in the past when Shahrukh Khan had felt unsafe in India Hafeez Saeed had invited him to settle down in Pakistan. Even Pakistan is a difficult destination for Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan, because both have Hindu wives! If they have to migrate to Pakistan they may have to divorce their wives or convert them to Islam before seeking a resident visa for Pakistan. Our neighbour, Pakistan, who only a few years back was also a son of Mother India, does not allow non Muslims to vote in general elections along with the Muslim citizens — since minorities have separate ear marked constituencies where only minorities can vote.
However one cannot deny that India has shown intolerance in the past towards women and Hindus of lower castes. But that was about a hundred years ago when we were not independent and didn’t have a constitution of our own. But slowly and steadily India has tried to remove those short comings through the untiring efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi. Widow remarriage was made legal, Sati was banned, inter caste marriage and divorce was legalised, polygamy was banned, reservations were introduced for scheduled castes and backward castes, equal property rights were given to women. With our modern secular constitution, all the depressed classes, all the minorities and all our women folk are rapidly catching up with other forward groups.
In such a bright and healthy scenario how did Aamir Khan even think of calling India intolerant and how could he even think of migrating from India? Did anyone threaten him? Did any political party try to instigate him for securing political mileage? Did anyone try to dishonour India and her Prime Minister by putting words in Aamir Khan’s mouth? Only Aamir Khan can answer these questions.
(The author is former Financial Commissioner, J&K. Feedback at [email protected] or contact at 09748635185)
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