Indian screen-writer and poet Javed Akhtar is calling out Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) moves and called Narendra Modi a ‘fascist’. Turns out the Sholay writer has become the most recent celebrity to bash the BJP.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera, the Bollywood songwriter was asked whether he believes Narendra Modi is a fascist. Javed Akhtar answered in the affirmative.
“Of course, he is. I mean, fascists don’t have horns on their heads.”
ALSO READ
Losing It Completely: Ex-Indian Army General Sinha Calls for Rape in Kashmir
The Mr. India writer pointed out how fascists aren’t like what we envision on screen, they’re just regular people with a superiority complex. Javed Akhtar also pointed out fascists’ tendency to avoid taking responsibility for their actions and blaming others for problems.
“Fascist is thinking. And this thinking “we are better than others, and whatever problems we have, it is because of these people. The moment you hate people in wholesale you’re a fascist.”
Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt further backed the narrative by speaking about anti-Muslim bigotry and Islamophobia in India right now.
He even asserted that the anti-Muslim narrative is ‘manufactured’ purposely.
“Well, I think Islamophobia, the winds of Islamophobia blew through the world after 9/11 and I think the phobia here is manufactured because I don’t think that the average Indian is so frightened of a Muslim.”
Mahesh Bhatt called politicians and news media for collectively building that narrative to seize control and remain in control.
“I mean, that kind of a fear has been crafted, been structured day in and day out, media person go out there, the pliable channels, are working around the clock to create ‘the other‘. They need ‘the other‘ to stay in power.”
ALSO READ
Shahrukh Khan’s University Gets Attacked By Police and He’s Still Silent
He had no qualms calling BJP for this manufacturing this ‘other’ as a scapegoat, threat, or whatever they need ‘the other’ to be.
“Hate the Muslim is the lifeline of the BJP. Let’s not mince our words.”
Previously the Gangster filmmaker announced that he would not submit documents to ‘prove his origins in India’ as the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA 2019) demands.
