Shiv Sena terms Amir, Shahrukh, Dilip Kumar ‘snakes in the grass’

MUMBAI: A Shiv Sena minister in the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maharashtra government has said that actor Amir Khan “can go to Pakistan” if he didn’t love India and that people such as Amir, Shahrukh and Dilip Kumar were like “snakes”, considering their statements.
Senior Shiv Sena leader and the state Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam was responding when asked about Amir Khan’s statement that his wife Kiran Rao was afraid to live in India due to rising intolerance and suggested they move out of the country. “If he doesn’t love the country any more, then he can go to Pakistan,” Kadam said.
“The police should also conduct an inquiry whether Amir’s statement is anti-national,” he said. Kadam compared Amir Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Dilip Kumar to snakes for being ungrateful. “From Dilip Kumar to Shahrukh Khan and Amir, we gave everyone of them a lot of love. However, the statements coming from them make us feel as if we have nurtured snakes,” said Kadam.
Notable Indian celebrities such as Anupam Kher, Raveena Tandon, Rishi Kapoor and Ram Gopal Varma have slammed Aamir Khan in the media for his comments and for calling India intolerant. So far, Aamir has received support only from Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman who says he faced a similar situation months ago.
“Don’t forget, India made you a star,” said BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain at a press conference.Hussain told reporters it was “not all right to malign our Incredible India”, a reference to the campaign slogan used to promote the country of 1.2 billion to tourists.
The row was trending top on Indian Twitter on Tuesday under the hashtag #aamirkhan, but users were divided over the actor’s comments.“You publicly spoke your mind and that is courage,” said one, while another accused him of mounting a “publicity stunt” or a “malicious campaign”.
Television footage on Tuesday showed dozens of activists burning posters featuring Aamir Khan in several cities across India, while police protection at his Mumbai home was reportedly upgraded.
Shahrukh had also referred recently to “extreme intolerance in India” after the lynching of a Muslim man in October over rumours he had eaten beef.
Aamir Khan, one of the few outspoken Bollywood celebrities, shot to prominence hosting a popular television talk show Satyamev Jayate, which focused on sensitive social issues like female foeticide, rape and corruption. He went on to star in blockbuster films including “Dhoom 3”, one of the highest-grossing Bollywood movies of all time.