Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise. And where ignorant lot is given celebrity status, it is more so. Movie stars and Bollywood artists, who has become dear to media across the sub-continent were never famous for informed pronouncements. So it was hardly surprising when Salman Khan, least of all the uninformed and put-your-foot-in-mouth brigade went public with his completely misplace statements. Salman's statement is politically incorrect to the core, but what adds gravity of the situation is the fact is he spoke to a Pakistani channel.
It did not required a pundit to predict the uproar from all political quarters after the actor spoke what he should not have. Salman is notorious for being in soup many times on earlier occasions. A man who was accused of creating nuisance at his lover's house, making scene with colleagues at pub and most of all alleged to have killed deers while shooting for a film-is not expected to study the situation prior and after to 26/11 in Mumbai. The Pakistani media persons did their job skillfully. Now asking for an apology will do little good to Salman's image, adding one more embarrassment to his already overflowing repertoire.
During an interview to a Pakistani channel, Salman said that the 26/11 attacks were hyped up because "elite people" were targeted.
"It was the elite that was targeted this time. Five-star hotels and all. So, they panicked. Then, they got up and spoke about it. My question is why not before. Attacks have happened in trains and small towns too, but no one talked about it so much," Salman reportedly told Pakistan's Express 24/7 channel in an interview.
Salman's comments have been described as "anti-national" by parties like the Shiv Sena. Maharashtra's Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Chagan Bhujbal, who will usually avoid making any comments where a Muslim actor is involved, spoke this time explicitly. According to Chavan,
“It doesn't matter whether a big or small person has died. It's very serious matter for the country when somebody loses his life in a militant attack. We need to work together to root out terrorism.”
Bhujbal, who called the statement "uninformed", was more to the point. He said:
"He is an actor. He does not have the information to make a comment on whether the Pakistani govt was involved or not. People travelling in taxis, constables, waiters, hotel workers, all lost their lives in the attacks."
Shiv Sena was more vociferous in its reaction, being a flag bearer of Hindu ideology. Party leader Sanjay Raut said,
The 26/11 attacks were a war against the nation. Salman should apologise for his remarks. Ambani was not staying at the CST, nor was Tata or Birla staying in Cama Lane
The Bharatiya Janata Party also criticised Khan for his unwanted comments. Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP spokesperson, said:
26/11 attack was an attack on India. We cannot forget that Indian citizens were killed. This was not a small issue for Salman Khan to comment. This was an attack meticulously planned by Pakistan.
Special Prosecutor in 26/11 trial, Ujwal Nikam, described Khan's statement as naive.
It appears that without knowing the details of the terror attack, the actor made such statements," said Nikam, adding, "I shall say these are childish remarks. They (terrorists) don't make any distinction between rich and poor. It is judicially established that the outcome was a deep routed criminal conspiracy hatched in Pakistan and the targets were deliberately selected to wage war against India.
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