By YKA Staff:
On 23rd November, 2015, Aamir Khan spoke out about what he felt were the rising instances of ‘intolerance’ in India, as reported in the news, and expressed his and his wife’s concerns. Since then, it has sparked massive outrage, among many sections of the media, people and society in general. Hindu Sena activists led a protest outside his house. From actors like Rishi Kapoor to writers like Taslima Nasreen, many believe that Aamir Khan’s statement about ‘leaving the country’ was baseless and out of line, particularly because this is the same country that has made him into the star that he is today. His patriotism is now being questioned.
Aamir Khan also spoke about many other issues plaguing the country and the world during his interview, like linking terrorism with Islam, the alarming behaviour of the Censor board in the past 6-8 months. But all that has conveniently been left out of the discussion.
Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, in this video talks about the controversy that has risen around Aamir Khan, the ‘perennially outraged social media’ and the tolerant-intolerant debate, also voicing what he thinks of the issue personally.
sagina
I completely agree with you and I feel we are down-grading the society by these name calling. People are dragging his family into this controversy, jokes are now being circulated about his wife. This is appalling. As a celebrity he does have to be wary of the words he speaks as we look upon theme as our idols but lets maintain the dignity and express our thoughts in a better way!!
Patil Dhananjay
He must also respect of sentiments of Hindus
Patil Dhananjay
He must also respect sentiments of Hindus.
Mohammed Ali Patel
Good view
vishy
As AK is entitled to his opinion so does the rest of the country . There is nothing wrong in expressing their disgust and anger to the irresponsible statements made by him . All is good in democracy as long as it is peaceful .
Amit Bose
Well said Rajdeep … there is no debate on hunger, pollution, corruption, population explosion or education… These problems also need to be debated/discussed along with terrorism or religious jingoism.
Ruchi
Well said.
Sreejit Pillai
To those who are taking hard stand against Aamir khan ,i just want to ask have you actually listened to interview which became a controversy.I believe he never said he or his wife is thinking of leaving India. The guy was merely referring to a conversation that he had his wife in which she expressed her concern in staying in India. My wife had also discussed with me about the risk of raising a girl child in India especially when you read about excessive child molestation happening in different parts of India.But these are casual talks with no genuine intention of leaving India. I am not saying these things doesn’t happen in other countries but my impression is that these atrocities happen on a larger scale in India and our police/judicial system is not dependable as in many other countries or at-least majority of Indian section feels that way.So if based on my understanding, in a forum open for debate, to a question raised to me,express that, i have concerns over security in India, does that make me anti Indian?
I was impressed with his comment on what he believes will increase the sense of security among people in any country, but i haven’t seen any comment on that.Have you head any politician saying any meaningful comments like that.
People had conveniently forgot his good work in producing satyameva jayade which helped creating public awareness on lot of social issues.Those who are attacking Aamir khan with anti Indian slogans etc,please show a bit more tolerance toward other peoples opinion.
Expressing concerns that politics in India to an extent is corrupt doesnt make one anti indian;
;expressing concern over growing rape and child molestations in india doesnt make one an indian.Expressing concern over a poor man being killed over the beef issue doesn’t make any one anti Indian and anti BJP.It’s just a opinion by a person who is concerned over what he sees & feels around him.
Patriotism is when you love your country and do things to make it a better place for you and others to coexist.Please think if you follow all traffic rules,don’t throw waste on roads and other’s premises,contributes to keeping the country clean,refuse to give bribes when you need to get something done urgently,pay tax on you actual income.There area lot of things most people do which is not in the better interest of our country, but we consider ourselves patriotic,why?because we have changed definition of patriotism to suit our convenience.
If you don’t like someone’s comment ,express your opinion in a polite way, expressing meaningful points,without attacking or hurting the other person or those who share his opinion.Thats what i believe intelligent/sensible persons should react.
Again this is just another opinion, i am saying what i beleive with an understanding that i may be wrong also, but intention is always to express my opinion and never to hurt sentiments of those who read my opinion.
Thanks for your patient reading.
Sreejit Pillai
Parandham V
You are absolutely right Rajdeep. Media, some people with exaggerated pre-conceived notions try to make a non-issue an issue. 99% of Indian Population would listen whatever Amir Khan or some other BJP leaders say and happily forget. They don’t follow it up any further. Some pseudo intellectuals and TRP starved media keep harping till they find another issue. As a Telugu saying goes ‘the one who eats salt, will only drink water’, an individual should be left to do what he/she wants, as long as those actions do not harm another individual or society. I read your assumption or an open question in today’s article wondering whether Amir and Shahruk should fly kites with Modi like Salman did to avert criticism from the society. I think you are very unfair to Salman Khan.
Miriam
RESPECT! I am with you.. The media is playing into the hands of the so called overtly ‘patriotic’ section ..
Kk
????An Open letter to Rajdeep Sardesai????
Dear Sir,
First, I want to say that I am NOT a Modi fan,a bhakt or a BJP fan.
And I am an Indian from a NE part of India. And I don’t support Mr Aamir Khan at all,he is WRONG when he says “India is alarmingly INTOLERANT”!
Why?
Does he know the meaning of intolerance or he himself experience atleast the slightest intolerance in his life as a superstar?
We, the NE people, in Delhi have been verbally racially abused day in and day out, how many NE students and professional have been raped,beaten and murdered in Delhi? Nido Taniam case had shaken the nation, his fault was his hair color. There are thousands of students and professionals working all over India. But unfortunate ones especially in Delhi and North have faced racial abuses for many years.
My questions to Aamir is:
If many NE students and professionals in Delhi who have faced racial slurs, obscene remarks for the way the girls dresses, if these people have NEVER EVER went to the level of calling “1.2 Billion Indians ALARMINGLY INTOLERANT”, then what made you a superstar called the entire population of India as such? Why didn’t you call India intolerant when Nido Taniam was brutally murdered, or when nirbhaya happened and why did Mr Aamir make that remark just now after seeing so much worse things that have happened before?why now?
Mr Aamir claims that he spoke as an ” Indian ” and NOT as a “Muslim”, if he spoke as an Indian, then what made him shut up for such a long time, when people were marching for Nido Taniam or nirbhaya?
If Mr Khan lied and if his trigger points are 1)dadri 2)beef ban , then Mr Khan is speaking as a Muslim. He has every right to speak as muslim or as an indian, I don’t deny that.
The PM should have tightened the screw right at dadri by arresting the culprits, and assuring the family of the victims himself. He should have condemned it outright. But he DIDN’T! Nor did the PM or BJP do anything about beef ban. I feel vegetarians should never decide what others can eat in this country, I am a Hindu who don’t eat beef, but I really don’t care if other eats.
Rajdeep, when Mohammed Sartaj, the son of muslim victim of dadri, an IAF officer OPENLY says
“Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara” without any hate for the country or countrymen, then what made aamir Khan worried when HIS scared wife suggested to move out of the country? When sartaj says that his father was killed by few communal and hateful people, and that not the entire Indian populace can be blamed, then why do aamir says entire Indians are amazingly INTOLERANT and why Indian media like yourself tries to justify such statements?
I agree that a handful of BJP MPs have foul mouth but Aamir Khan has no right to insult the entire Indian populace as alarmingly INTOLERANT, and you and your colleagues in Indian media supporting him is equally disgusting. He and you can say “modi or Indian govt or BJP or NDA” is INTOLERANT and we, Indians are not offended by that but when you say “India”, it implies the entire Indian populace, which is NOT TRUE and NOT ACCEPTABLE TO MAJORITY OF THE INDIANS.
JAI HIND
kk
Patil Dhananjay
Tolerance means keep quiet against terrorism, in the sense of so called……… (need not to say)
Bobby
Just shut up and you lost basics of arguments. No one is asking him to leave ..everyone is saying if INTOLERANCE IS AT RISE..then he should leave. Nothing wrong in their opinion. So better shut up and focus on basics of journalism or simple commonsense. Issue is idiots like you misinterpret and jump in to every thing illogical way. Ofcourse it is not strange because you have your own agenda of identification problem.
Bobby
First of all do not misinterpret the opinions of public go through them carefully. Most of the intellectuals of India clearly suggested Amir that the only intolerance is among the islamic followers world wide as they misinterpret their own religion. If Amir has any commonsense he should admit the facts of the Islamic faith believers at this moment in the world. How their youth is being misguided by false leaders of islam. So it is for you to understand what the problem in this whole issue..and why people are objecting his remarks. So dont be an illogical idiot in interpreting this whole issue from your pseudo secular or pseudo freedom of speech with out responsibility. Idiots like you or Amir always have identification problem and do nonsensical things for getting recognisation for your stupid acts. We have witnessed your foolish acts in USA. So dont jump on everything to support your foolish deeds. You both should excercise commonsense before you talk about freedom of speech.