Some Hindu groups behaving like Muslim fundamentalists: Akhtar

January 27, 2016

Kolkata, Jan 27: Claiming that some Hindu groups are now behaving like Muslim fundamentalists, eminent lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar has said barring such elements Indian society has always been tolerant.

Akhtar"In 1975 I showed a comedy scene in a temple. Today I won't. But even in 1975, I wouldn't have shown a scene in a mosque because that level of intolerance was there. Now the other one is matching it," Akhtar said last night at a literary meet here.

"Now they are joining the club....its a tragedy. Don't say Hindu. Thats a wrong representation. Some Hindu groups," he said at a panel discussion on intolerance.

However, giving the example of Aamir Khan starrer superhit Hindi film 'PK', he said it was the Hindus which made the film click at the box office.

"I really wonder in any Islamic country you would make the same kind of film by taking Muslim symbols will become superhit," Akhtar who has co-written scripts of many Bollywood blockbusters with Salim Khan including 'Sholay', 'Don', 'Seeta aur Geeta' and 'Deewar' said.

He said "we tend to take extreme sides in case of controversies.

"There are people who say intolerance has risen to a dangerous level in the society. I don't believe it. There are people who say there is no intolerance in the society. I don't believe them either. The fact lies somewhere in between. The fact is that Indian society is and was always tolerant. There are certain segments of society, they are always at war," he said.

Attack on the freedom of expression, however, according to him, is not a new trend in the country.

"There was always some kind of attack on freedom of expression. You can say something in an article and in a seminar, but you cannot say the same thing in a documentary and a feature film. It was always like that," Akhtar said.

Amidst the "Award wapasi" campaign by some writers, he has refused to return his Sahitya Akademi award.

"Because I know that this award was given to me by writers so why should I return it?," he said and noted that the jury consists of writers and not policemen or bureaucrats.

"I understand (the case of) Nayanatra Sahgal. She returned it not to get some publicity. Perhaps she felt that this is the way she can protest," he said.

Author Ruskin Bond, who has also not returned his Akademi award, said the literature body cannot stop people from being murdered.

Actress-turned-author Nandana Sen, daughter of economist Amartya Sen and writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen, said there had been concentrated attacks on free thinkers like MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare in the last 12 months which was very disturbing.

When asked about vilification of those who have been expressing their views in public against intolerance, she said, "My father is not afraid of being unpopular and my mother too".

Comments

Yasir
 - 
Thursday, 28 Jan 2016

He is wondering if any Islamic country would make the PK kind of film that will be a super hit. but this duffer doesn't even know that Islam strictly prohibits any symbolic sculpture for worship. you would not have been a known lyricist if you were not fundamental in your field. You better shut your mouth & do your filmy job and not speak of religion or politics without proper knowledge.

rikaz
 - 
Wednesday, 27 Jan 2016

Dinesh, it is not christians who are converting, it is people who are from lower caste want to convert to christianity or islam, they have been deprived by their rights by the upper castes. I think they (so called lower castes) have got full right to change, in fact by doing so they get their due respect with dignity...if you abolish all so called upper and lower caste system in your system, nobody wants to go and take up some other religion.

You people treat those lower castes like a shit.....if they convert to islam or christianity they will be treated like their own and equals...that is the difference my friend....

when you write something think and right...straighten your facts...

Parinatha
 - 
Wednesday, 27 Jan 2016

Mr.Akthar,......first learn what is fundamentalism/........if you want to be perfect in any sector or field ...you must learn fundamentals of the same sector or field......so what your comparison is wrong itself

Sameer
 - 
Wednesday, 27 Jan 2016

Bulls eye. Very well said...

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News Network
March 26,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 26: In a second coronavirus related death in Karnataka, COVID-19 test results of a 75- year-old woman who had died on Wednesday has come out as positive, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said.

"I regret to inform that the COVID-19 test result has come out as positive for patient, who had succumbed to death yesterday. The govt stands committed to curb the spread of Corona Virus in the state. Please stay home, stay safe," Sudhakar tweeted on Thursday.

Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu too said the lab reports regarding the death on Wednesday have come and it has come out as positive, and death was due to COVID-19.

The exact cause of her death would be known only after the final report comes, both Minister had said on Wednesday.

The woman from Gauribidanur in Chikkaballapura district, had returned from Mecca in Saudi Arabia recently.

Sharing details about the woman, Sriramulu in a tweet on Wednesday had said, she died at Bowring hospital here at 1 am, and was suffering from diabetes, chest pain and hip fracture.

The patient was undergoing treatment in isolation ward at a hospital in Gauribidanur, later for more treatment she was shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru, from where she was shifted to Bowring hospital on Tuesday," he had said.

This is the second coronavirus fatality in the state.

Earlier this month, a 76-year old Kalaburagi man died "due to co-morbidity and was also tested positive for COVID- 19", becoming the country's first coronavirus death.

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News Network
April 19,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 19: A recent government order prohibiting congregations, Ramadan prayers is discriminatory and needs to be withdrawn, JD(S) MLC B M Farookh has demanded.

In a letter to the chief secretary, Farookh pointed out that the order contained certain conditions such as restriction of the use of public address system and delivering Azan in low decibels, which had nothing to do with the prevention of Covid-19 disease.

“These days, Azan includes a call for the community to pray at home and does not offer namaz at mosque. The order also prohibits preparation and distribution of porridge, which has always been taken up in the interest of the poor. The High Court has noted that the relief distribution by NGOs or individuals should not be prevented and the state machinery has to coordinate the same by ensuring social distancing. The ban on distribution of porridge by mosques amounts to discrimination. The order needs to be withdrawn or revisited,” he wrote in his letter.

Further, observing that a religious fair was conducted in Kalaburagi recently, in violation of the government’s social distancing norms, Farookh sought the government to ensure that social distancing norms are enforced with regard to festivals of all communities without discrimination.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 9,2020

Dubai, May 9: A flight scheduled to bring back Kannadigas, especially Mangalureans stranded in Dubai on May 14 has been rescheduled to May 12.

The flight will take off from Dubai at 4.10 pm UAE time and reach Mangaluru International Airport at 9.10 pm IST on May 12, announced Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda in a tweet.

The flight was earlier scheduled for May 12 and then it was postponed to May 14. Now, it has been rescheduled to May 12.

It is said that constant persuasion from NRIs in UAE led to advance the paid evacuation drive.

In fact, Karnataka was missing in the list of states to receive special flights when Ministry of External Affairs arranged them to bring stranded Indians at UAE. Special flights were arranged only to Kerala and Tamil Nadu people stranded at UAE in the first stage.

Thanks to Karnataka NRI Forum of UAE which opened helpline to seek assistance to Kannadigas, nearly 2000 Kannadigas have registered for assistance in which 127 pregnant women, 27 senior citizens, 700 people who have lost jobs aftermath of coronavirus sought assistance from NRI forum.

In the first flight, priority will be given to people with medical emergency and pregnant women. Once the passengers reach Mangaluru, they will be quarantined in their home districts.

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