Mumbai: Noted lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar has waded into controversy yet again by criticising the government for welcoming Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister and Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqui.
The BJP has now branded Akhtar a Pakistani supporter, despite the fact that he was among the very few Bollywood celebrities to condemn that country for its role in the Pahalgam terror attack.
“I hang my head in shame when I see the kind of respect and reception that has been given to the representative of the world’s worst terrorist group Taliban by those who beat the pulpit against all kinds of terrorists,” Akhtar posted on X.
“Girls are not allowed to get an education in Afghanistan, women are tortured, and how can we welcome the minister of such a terrorist country,” he further wrote.
BJP spokesperson Niranjan Shetty hit out at Akhtar for this and said: “Hearing this reaction of Javed Akhtar, one can easily suspect that he is among the flock of Pakistani supporters in India. Akhtar has never said that ‘I hang my head in shame’ when Pakistani terrorists attacked innocent people in Pahalgam. Till now, whenever Pakistani terrorists attacked India, Javed Akhtar has never expressed outrage.”
The BJP leader is clearly not up to date with facts. After the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Akhtar had expressed outrage and criticised Pakistan openly.
In an interview, Akhtar had joked how some people say that he would go to hell while others want him to go to Pakistan. “I would prefer to go to hell than Pakistan.” The confirmed atheist had remarked.
Shetty is clearly unaware of this and went on to say: “But it is natural for many Pakistani supporters to get angry because Afghanistan has given a befitting reply to Pakistan’s recent attack on Afghanistan. When Pakistan carried out an air strike on Afghanistan recently, Afghanistan captured 25 Pakistani military posts and killed 58 soldiers. This has shamed Pakistan.”
“The context of world politics has changed. In politics, no one is a permanent friend or a permanent enemy. Relationships are made or broken according to the changed political situations. Due to the changed global political equations, Afghanistan is currently our ally, so we are welcoming their Minister. This is a part of foreign policy. There is nothing good or bad about it,” Shetty added.
