Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt took to his official Twitter handle on Thursday, 21 December, to strike actor Naseeruddin Shah, saying that he should not call himself a ‘patriot’ after showing sorrow and compassion for terrorism. In his string of tweets, Dutt cited that his remarks on the Bulandshahr violence added up to as selective outrage.
The Olympic medalist’s remark actually came in retaliation to Shah’s remarks that read “the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman” and that he feels “worried” for his children looking at the current state of affairs.
Shah’s statements were a clear reference to the Bulandshahr mob violence in UP, where police officer Subodh Kumar Singh and another man were killed by an angry crowd on December 3 over “alleged cow slaughter.”
Dutt wrote on Friday in one of his tweets, “All of us regret the death of people in Bulandshahr. But a lot of riots have happened before this and innocent people have lost their lives – but you (Naseeruddin Shah) didn’t feel scared then. This makes me understand what side you are on. Please don’t call yourself a patriot after showing pity on terrorism.”
बुलंदशहर की घटना में जिन लोगों की मृत्यु हुई उसका हम सब को बहुत खेद है, पर इससे पहले भी ना जाने कितने दंगे हुए और मासूमों की जान गई, तब तो आपको कोई डर नहीं लगा।इससे ही समझ आता है कि आप किसकी तरफ़ हैं, कृपया आतंकी पर दया करने के बाद खुद को देशभक्त ना कहें ?? जय हिन्द, जय भारत ?
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) December 21, 2018
Dutt even asked Shah where was his fear when the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the 1993 Mumbai blasts and the 26/11 attacks that happened.
आज इस देश में जिन लोगों को अपने बच्चों के लिए डर लग रहा है, वो डर तब कहां था #NaseeruddinShah जी जब 1984 के दंगे हुए, जब 1993 में मुंबई में बंब ब्लास्ट हुए, 26/11 का हमला हुआ?
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) December 21, 2018
In a clear reference to 39 Indians being killed mercilessly after being kidnapped by ISIS in Iraq, Dutt said, “One terrorist group kidnapped citizens of India and Bangladesh and later released the Bangladeshis based on their religion. The remaining 39 Indians were killed. Didn’t you feel angry then? Didn’t you feel scared when signing on the mercy petition for terrorist Yakub Memon.”
एक आतंकवादी संगठन ने भारत और बांग्लादेश के नागरिकों का अपहरण कर लिया और बाद में बांग्लादेशियों का धर्म देखकर छोड़ दिया, बाकी के सभी 39 भारतीयों को मार दिया, तब आपको गुस्सा नहीं आया?आतंकी याकूब मेमन की फांसी की दया याचिका पर साइन करते हुए आपको डर नहीं लगा?
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) December 21, 2018
Previously on Friday, despite a public backlash, Naseeruddin Shah said that he stood by his statement.
“What I said earlier was as a worried Indian. What did I say this time that I am being termed as a traitor? I am expressing concerns about the country I love, the country that is my home. How is that a crime?” (sic)“
Shah’s remark on “a cow’s life has more importance than a police officer’s” was made in a video interview with Karwan-e-Mohabbat India.
https://youtu.be/Uh18VUfQJvA
In the recent interview, the actor echoed that “poison has already spread” and it would now be hard to contain it.
“It will be very difficult to capture this jinn back into the bottle again. There is complete impunity for those who take law into their own hands. In many areas, we are witnessing that the death of a cow is more significant than that of a police officer,” Naseeruddin Shah said.
Digging a bit deep about the interview, Shah further added that he is worried that the situation would not improve “anytime soon” and said he is annoyed but not scared.
“These matters don’t scare me, they make me angry. And I feel every right-thinking man should feel angry, not scared. This is our home. Who dare evict us from here?” he questioned.
(Inputs from TheQuint)
