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Journalism of Courage
With the debate over intolerance in the country once again making headlines, following Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday said it was a conspiracy to malign the nation, and that Aamir Khan was not scared but was spreading fear among the people.
“Don’t forget, India made you a star… A small incident happens in a country of 121 crore people, but it is not alright to malign our ‘Incredible India’ over the same,” Hussain said, referring to Aamir Khan’s remarks at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism award ceremony.
On Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s tweets this morning, Hussain said, “(Rahul’s remarks) shows that all this is a conspiracy to defame the nation. A party tainted by numerous riots should not teach tolerance to the nation.”
READ | BJP reacts to Aamir’s intolerance remark: Moving out of India is an individual’s choice
Speaking at the award ceremony on Monday night, Aamir Khan spoke his mind out saying there was a feeling of despondency in the country over the last seven months.
Watch: What Aamir Khan said at the #RNGAwards
“For creative people, to voice what they feel is important. A number of creative people — historians and scientists — have increasingly had a certain feeling that they feel they need to express. One of the ways of expressing their dissatisfaction or disappointment is to return awards.”
Aamir also spoke of a sense of “insecurity” and “fear” that had seeped deep within society, even in his family. “(Wife) Kiran and I have lived all our lives in India. For the first time, she said, should we move out of India? That’s a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make to me. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers everyday. That does indicate that there is a sense of growing disquiet,” he said.
