The latest insensitive remarks by actor Naseeruddin Shah against fellow actor Anupam Kher have generated a lot of buzz on social media.
Anupam Kher today found support in an old friend and Mizoram ex-governor Swaraj Kaushal who took to Twitter to post a series of tweets on the issue, where he called Shah an ‘ungrateful man’.
“Mr Naseeruddin Shah, you are an ungrateful man. This country gave you all the name, fame and money. Yet you are a disillusioned man. You married outside your religion. No one ever said a word. Your brother became Lt General of the Indian Army. Have you not been given more than an equal opportunity. Yet you are unhappy. You speak of apathy and discrimination. When you do all the blabbering, it is your ‘conscience’. When Anupam speaks his pain on being declared homeless in his own country, it is ‘sycophancy’,” Kaushal said in a series of tweets.
Mr.Naseeruddin Shah, you are an ungrateful man. This country gave you all the name, fame and money. Yet you are a disillusioned man. You married outside your religion. No one ever said a word. Your brother became Lt.General of the Indian Army. Have you not been given more
— Governor Swaraj (@governorswaraj) January 22, 2020
Calling Anupam Kher a star in his own right, Swaraj tore into Shah by saying that what he said against the actor does not befit a gentleman. “You looked small and petty. Suffice it to say that your anger is your frustration”, added Swaraj.
country that gave you everything. Kirron has been twice elected as a Member of Parliament. Anupam is a star in his own right. Look at his response. It is that of a gentleman. When you spoke, you looked small and petty. Suffice it to say that your anger is your frustration.
— Governor Swaraj (@governorswaraj) January 22, 2020
“Anupam was an accomplished Actor. When he would go up the stage, the audience was transformed into another world. He was a star, but down to earth. I know many people of his time. The stardom did not go to his head. My friend Anang and Chitra Desai who got to know him later tell me about him. The man has not forgotten his roots. He has not left his people. His family has a home in Srinagar. They are not able to live there because Kashmiri Pandits were hounded out of Kashmir. Is he not entitled to weep out his pain? What is it that you have and Anupam Kher does not have? You think you are a better actor than Anupam Kher? You are sadly mistaken,” Kaushal said in his tweets.
Read: I agree with you, Naseeruddin saheb. I am scared in today’s India too
He also spoke about Kher’s wife Kirron Kher, who he said was an ace badminton player and a bright student. “The family – Ohh ! what a family! Her father was a distinguished army officer. They were one of the illustrious and richest families of the City”, wrote Kaushal who holds the distinction of being designated as a senior advocate of the Supreme Court at the age of 34, played a key role in the signing of the Mizoram Peace Accord, and the youngest Governor at the age of 37.
However, these Tweets posted in support of Anupam Kher didn’t go down too well with those who like to identify themselves as ‘liberals’. They who had chosen to maintain a stoic silence until now suddenly sprung into action after Anupam Kher found support in an old friend and Mizoram ex-governor Swaraj Kaushal.
You Mr Swaraj are Ungrateful & Uncouth man .
Mr Nasiruddin Shah earned fame through dint of hard work & talent .
He is not disillusioned & self-seeking like you & @AnupamPKher .
And for god sake write your full name .
You no longer are a Governor . U seem
Delusional .— Azad (@InquilabAzad) January 23, 2020
Soon, the so-called liberals were seen hounding Swaraj. The NDTV journalist Gargi Rawat who had brazened out the heckling of Kerala Governor last month, calling him an ‘opportunist’, went on to question the former governor’s position and accomplishments hinting that he earned it because of his wife’s political positions.
What does this even mean? No one ‘gives’ anyone anything, you achieve it through hard work and talent.
.. except maybe Governorships. That depends on ruling party. https://t.co/xnPZNWbnbv— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) January 23, 2020
The bullying, of course, did not end there. Habitual fake news peddler, Ashok Swain, who is known for his anti-India and anti-Hindu posts, in his attempt to insult Swaraj, also shamelessly brought up his deceased wife ex-EAM Sushma Swaraj.
As if the country belongs to him!
This disgusting man is the husband of Sushma Swaraj – favorite of India’s many so-called liberals! https://t.co/a45sKo3S84— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) January 22, 2020
The so-called champions of freedom of speech were also rattled because an accomplished lawyer and former governor expressed his opinions.
Nobody gave anybody anything. The country acknowledged the sheer prowess of Naseeruddin Shah an Actor & his brother reached military excellence, stature and Rank through hard work & dedication. What is your claim to fame? Sushma Swaraj & all her hard work? https://t.co/mfls2ajyFv
— Mona Ambegaonkar (@MonaAmbegaonkar) January 23, 2020
Marrying outside his religion depended on the benevolence of Swaraj Kaushal and gang? Fail to understand the point of this thread except the ridiculous outrage that a Muslim man isn’t suitably ‘grateful’ for doing well in life through his own hard work. https://t.co/bR9XajRe9m
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) January 23, 2020
Yesterday, Anupam Kher had shared a 1.28-minute video message for actor Naseeruddin Shah in which he took a dig at Shah for calling him a ‘clown’ and ‘sycophant’ during an interview with The Wire.
Speaking at an interview with leftist propaganda website The Wire, Naseeruddin Shah called actor Anupam Kher “a clown and a sycophant” when he was asked about his views on Anupam Kher. Kher, whose wife actress Kirron Kher is a BJP MP, has been quite vocal about his support for the Narendra Modi government.
Naseeruddin on being asked about Anupam Kher and his pro-government stand had said, “Someone like Anupam Kher has been very vocal. I don’t think he needs to be taken seriously. He’s a clown. Any number of his contemporaries from NFD and FTII can attest to his sycophantic nature. It’s in his blood, he can’t help it.”
