'India Can Never Be Like Afghanistan,' Says Javed Akhtar In Shiv Sena's Saamana

After a TV interview, the Shiv Sena, through Saamana criticised Akhtar for comparing the RSS and VHP with the Taliban. 

Javed Akhtar (File Photo)

New Delhi: Noted lyricist & screenwriter Javed Akhtar, in a signed article in Shiv Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana' said that India cannot become Afghanistan because 'Indians by nature' are not extremists. 

In a recent TV interview, he drew parallels between the Taliban and Hindu extremists, which, he defended in Saamana. He said that the Hindu majority is the most tolerant in the world.

After the TV interview, the Shiv Sena, through Saamana criticised Akhtar for comparing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) with the Taliban. 

“Actually, in the recent interview, I have said ‘Hindus are the most decent and tolerant majority in the world. I have repeated this time and again and also emphasized that India can never become like Afghanistan because Indians by nature are not extremists. It is in their DNA to be moderate, to keep to the middle of the road,” said Akhtar in his opinion piece in Saamana.

During the interview with NDTV on September 3, he had said that "Just like the Taliban want an Islamic State, there are those who want a Hindu Rashtra. These people are of the same mindset – be it Muslims, Christians, Jews, or Hindus.”

Defending this, in the Saamana piece, he said that his critics are angered because he finds commonalities between the mindsets of the Taliban and the Hindu right-wing.

"The Taliban is forming an Islamic government based on religion, the Hindu right-wing wants a Hindu Rashtra. The Taliban wants to curb women's rights and put them on the margin, the Hindu right-wing has also made it clear that they don't like the freedom of women and girls", Akhtar said.

"Yes, in this interview I expressed my reservations against organizations affiliated to the Sangh Parivar. I am opposed to any school of thought that divides people on the basis of religion, caste, and creed and I stand by all those who are against any such discrimination", he said in an emailed statement to PTI.

The only difference between the Taliban and these extremist groups is that the Taliban today have unchallenged power in Afghanistan with no one to question them while in India there is a huge resistance against the Indian version of this Talibani ideology which is totally in conflict with the Constitution of India, he told PTI.

"Our constitution does not discriminate on the basis of religion, community, caste, or gender. We have institutions like the judiciary and media too. The key point of departure between the two is the Taliban has achieved its goal in Afghanistan. The Hindu right-wing is doing its best to get us there. Fortunately, this is India and there are the Indian people who are providing a stiff resistance," Akhtar said.