Singer Adnan Sami, who is among the 118 Padma Shri awardees of 2020, says he is an artiste and he has nothing to do with politics but his name is being dragged into controversy by some people to further their agenda.
While Sami expressed his “infinite gratitude” at been honoured with the award, members of the opposition party have deemed it an “insult to India” since Sami’s father Arshad Sami Khan was a fighter pilot with the Pakistan Air Force. He subsequently got into a Twitter spat with Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill, who argued that Sami shouldn’t be eligible for the award since his “family fought against India”.
“My father was a decorated fighter pilot and he was a professional soldier. He did his duty for his country. I respect him for that. It was his life. He got awarded for that. I did not benefit or credit from that. Similarly he cannot get credit for what I do. What does my award have to do with my father? It is irrelevant,” Sami told PTI in an interview.
He told the news agency that he shared a good relationship with people across the political spectrum.
“People who are criticising are some minor politicians. They are doing it because of some political agenda that they have and it has nothing to do with me. I am not a politician, I am a musician,” he asserted.
“They have their own political agenda and issues with the government and they are using my name as another stepney to try and further their agenda.”
Politicians, such as Maharashtra Minorities Development minister and NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik, have called the recognition to Sami a damage control move by the ruling BJP government at the Centre amidst furore across India over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Sami said he was conferred with the Naushad award during the Congress government's rule and he was a Pakistani citizen at the time. The singer was born in London and is of Pakistani descent. He applied for Indian citizenship in 2015 and became a citizen of the country in January 2016. “Now I am an Indian citizen, perfectly entitled to be given this award. They are bringing the Pakistani element, it is funny, hilarious. They are picking up on something because they don't have anything else to pick up on.”
“These are all junior guys, either they are trying to become relevant and some of them don't know that their seniors are so respectful. I am friends with everybody, whether it's the BJP or the Congress. I am a musician. I share love through my music,” he said.
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