Actor Anupam Kher, among the first ones to defend the Modi government on the issue of “intolerance”, once again slammed people that included film personalities for talking about “intolerance” in the c
Actor Anupam Kher, among the first ones to defend the Modi government on the issue of “intolerance”, once again slammed people that included film personalities for talking about “intolerance” in the country.
“It’s a joke. People are talking about intolerant India, that’s a joke. The fact that they can make statements like this is a proof enough that there is freedom of speech,” Mr Kher said on the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival. “It is ironic that this ‘intolerance’ and ‘lack of freedom of speech’ are only felt by rich intellectuals who roam around with bodyguards,” he added.
Referring to the Kashmiri pandits issue, the actor, who received the Padma Bhushan on Monday, said he did not see or has seen anybody returning their awards when four lakh members of that community were rendered homeless and stateless. “We cannot have outrage which is selective or unhappiness about certain things. So when people talk about intolerance, I react because I have never seen people raising their voices or returning awards for those four lakh Kashmiri pandits who for the past 26 years are struggling as refugees in their own country. This is what I call intolerance,” he said.
On receiving the award, Mr Kher said that he felt humbled, honoured and ecstatic.
