|
|   
|
There are many instances where India is proud of herself, and the health of its democracy is one of them, especially because all the dignitaries from other countries keep pampering India on this note. India might be a well-functioning democracy in the electoral sense, but I don’t see it in any other sphere of Indian public life.
Especially when it comes to difference of opinion – aha, that is not tolerated at all! If I say ‘no’, I’m asked to apologize for having a mind of my own.
Aamir Khan – the latest case of suppression of free speech.
Aamir supported Medha Patkar for a very righteous cause indeed when he voiced his concern for the tribals and villagers displaced, but not rehabilitated, by the building of the dam on Narmada river. Isn’t it only just that thousands of people will expect to at least be given new homes when their ancestral homes are confiscated by a democratic government? We are not in China, for heaven’s sake!
So Aamir Khan said – either rehabilitate these poor people or stop raising the dam’s height. And I’m glad that celebrities have started indulging in social welfare.
But both the BJP and the Congress parties in Gujarat keep outdoing one another in protesting Aamir Khan’s point of view. The BJP has put on a very sinister Taliban-like attitude by banning ‘Fanaa’, Aamir Khan’s latest movie, and even asking people to resist Coca-cola and Toyota Innova because the star endorses them.
Since when did Aamir Khan, living in democratic India, lose the right to independent thinking and free speech? And if a celebrity such as he does not have these rights, where do we common people figure?
And Aamir Khan has asked why he should apologize…and why should he? For asking the govt. to be responsible? For securing homes for people whose original homes were confiscated by a democratic govt.?
What do you say? Should Aamir say sorry or not – or should the govt. say sorry to the displaced people?
Arjun says: I totally agree with you Ashok.. I just come to know that he is helping victims (Minority victims..I mean) of Gujarat riots in Delhi..
I really cann’t understant what’s his strategy. By doing this thing, he wants to proove that he has shoft heart with innocent people who get affected because of violence and other natural desasters.
My point is this…
If he really wants to help such people or children that why doesn’t he consider KASHMIR. It is a place where every three or four days, terrorists do shit things with we Indians (Including people of every community). Doesn’t he have any feeling about other Indians.
Guys, it’s really serious issue.
Go beyond religion, think a no. of displaced has yet not got the compensation. Amir Khan pointed out the corruption in beaurocracy and nothing else. This is what I learnt watching TV news. I do also believe no decision should be taken ( by any body ) basing upon religion/caste/sex/provincial origin. Be thoughtful but not thought fool.
titu says: Ashok has a point. Why Amir khan noticed Narmada now why not before . this case is decades old. He may try his hands in politics.who knows.
WhaT MAKES HIM BETTER and more qualified than other politicians? On what account he has proven some political genious who can solve all problems. For all I know he is a good actor and thats all. Sometimes overacting too.
question is if instead of Gujarat it was Harayana which would have been affected because of reducing dam hight, would he be interested?
If dam hight reduces Gujarat wont get power. the problem is technical. It may have been solved if the project had not prolongated this long, but it did.
I am not sure about Patkar anymoe either. Since I read official side of the case. The government may be exaggerating about Patkar supporters not letting do them actual rehabilitation. But I do not think they are lying either. Communists, missioneries everybody has an interest in prologing rehabilitation too. who knows who is telling the truth.
I say all this because of Tehari experience. Sundar lal Bahuguna was honestly opposing the dam. But his supporters were mostly those who had already taken compansation and homes in new Tihari. There they rented it and kept on living in old homes protesting shifting.
Aamir said the right things.
The cheap politics of BJP and Narendra Modi should be exposed.
Sid says: Aamir Khan is right. I don’t understand what the correlation is between helping ppl affected by narmada dam and Kashmir. He can help those ppl if he wants and if he does.nt choose to , he may not, he’s not required by law. The politicians are mostly wrong in India, but then they are a reflection of the majority citizens.
Aham: I am – Hinduism TriTiya: Queer Indians (LGBT)
Aamir Khan is a true patriotic, but more than that he is a true humanitarian & he has proved himself to be above the petty politics of BJP &
Congress. He is also especially articulate & smart, which was quite clear in the way he fielded questions in the press conference, where he has
categoricaly stated that he is not against the people of Gujarat, nor is he against the building of the dam & the resulting progress. He has just raised
his voice to ensure that the poor people who lose out due to the dam-building exercise be rehabilitated by the government & not short-changed. I as a
true Indian, fully support & endorse his views!
BJP, as a poltical party is itself divided on this front, with half of their representatives claiming that they have no issues against Aamir & the other
half putting up half-baked arguments against him & asking him to appologise! Appologise for what??? For supporting & speaking out for the
downtrodden, poor people? Or appologise to appease the ego of the BJP politicians, for whom it has become more of a ego hassle by now!!! The
so-called Leaders of our Country do not even have strong, logical reasons or arguments as to why they want Aamir’s film to be banned or why he
should appologise. On the contrary, Aamir has been very lucid & clear in stating his stand.
As far as endorsing of products is concerned, there is not even a single actor or sportsperson who has not endorsed a single product till now & do
you all believe that they actually use or even stand by the product they endorse. It is his profession as an actor to act in films & commercials, so why
blame him for that. Why don’t the misled people of Gujarat boycott all those corrupt polticians who fill their pockets & languish in luxury, while
inciting their stooges to do their biding & crush anybody who dare to oppose them?
I am glad that Aamir’s film has only benefited from the controversy & has had an record opening. It is also clear that BJP is full of bullies, who drop
subtle & not-so-subtle hints of destroying people who dare to stand against them. It is clear that even the followers of this party are hooligans, who
resort to violent means & strong-handed tactics against anybody who exercises their freedom of expression. Also, the film industry is full of
hypocrites, none of who have voiced their support for Aamir, but stand behind traitors & brutes like Salman Khan & Sanjay Dutt. It is a shame that
Aamir Khan is not interested in politics, otherwise he would have made a excellent Prime Minister, better at any rate than the spineless old codger
who calls himself the Prime-minister of our great, democratic country. I think Aamir is a youth icon & has the balls to stand up against the corrupt &
petty minded politicians & the foolish followers, who seem to exist just to do their bidding, mindlessly. I support him completely.