Screenwriter Javed Akhtar recently refused to answer a question by the media about his controversial post regarding the Kanwar Yatra. Akhtar was attending a public event in Mumbai.
At the event, while speaking to the press, Akhtar was asked a question about his tweet regarding the Kanwar Yatra. While Akhtar is known for being outspoken on social and political issues, he said he wouldn’t answer the question as the event has got nothing to do with the topic of his tweet.
Muzaffarnagar UP police has given instructions that on the route of a particular religious procession in near future all the shops restaurants n even vehicles should show the name of the owner prominently and clearly . Why ? . In Nazi Germany they used to make only a mark on…
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 18, 2024
For those who don’t know, Akhtar faced some backlash from the right wing after he tweeted about Uttar Pradesh Police’s instructions mandating shops, restaurants, and vehicles to display owner’s name along the Kanwar Yatra route. Equating UP Police’s order to what happened in Nazi Germany, Akhtar had tweeted, “Muzaffarnagar UP police has given instructions that on the route of a particular religious procession in near future all the shops, restaurants and even vehicles should show the name of the owner prominently and clearly. Why? In Nazi Germany, they used to make only a mark on particular shops and houses.”
Now, at the event in Mumbai, Asktar was asked a question about his tweet, which he refused to answer. The lyricist said that the event has nothing to do with what’s happening in UP. He said, “Main yahan iss liye nahi aaya hoon,” before walking away from the media.
The screenwriter, while reacting to UP Police’s directive, compared it to Nazi Germany’s boycott of Jewish businesses. Last week, UP Police had reportedly asked the owners to ‘voluntarily’ display the names of the eateries on the 240 kilometer long pilgrimage route to avoid any ‘confusion’ to the Kanwariyas who avoid ‘certain’ food during their journey. In fact, after Akhtar’s tweet, many responded refuting his claims, and he replied to many of them with counter arguments.
See Also: Shabana Azmi On Dealing With Javed Akhtar’s Alcoholism, Split With Salim Khan: ‘It Was Very Difficult…’
