Not Right to Generalise: Paresh Rawal on Naseeruddin’s Comments

The actor has been an MP since 2014.

Paresh Rawal at the promotions for upcoming film Uri.

(Photo: Yogen Shah)

Actor and BJP MP Paresh Rawal has spoken out about Naseeruddin Shah’s statements about India’s growing atmosphere of intolerance and communalism. In an interview with ANI, he said,

“I don’t want to react to a particular statement. But it’s not right to say that India is not worth living in. I don’t agree. Incidents keep happening, but it is not right to generalise it.”

Paresh Rawal, Actor

Naseeruddin Shah found himself at the centre of controversy for his comments in a video interview with Karwan-e-Mohabbat India. In an apparent reference to the Bulandshahr mob violence he said that in many places the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman. The veteran actor also expressed anxiety over the well-being of his children, who he said have not been brought up as followers of any particular religion. He said:

“I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow, if a mob surrounds them and asks, ‘Are you a Hindu or a Muslim,’ they will have no answer. It worries me that I don’t see the situation improving anytime soon.”

Naseeruddin Shah, Actor

Swara Bhasker, Richa Chadha, Ashutosh Rana and director Madhur Bhandarkar are among those from the film fraternity who have come out in support of Shah. However, Anupam Kher has slammed the actor for his comments saying, “There’s so much freedom in the country that you can abuse the army, badmouth the air chief and pelt stones at the soldiers. How much more freedom do you need in a country? He said what he felt like, it doesn’t mean it’s the truth.”

Paresh Rawal will be seen in Uri: The Surgical Strike, a film that revolves around the 2016 surgical attack against Pakistan carried out by the Indian Armed Forces.