This is misreporting: Naseeruddin Shah denies remark about Anupam Kher

While in Delhi to promote his latest film, Naseeruddin Shah had reportedly took potshots at Kher, who has been vocal about his fight for Kashmiri Pandits and for their rehabilitation in the Valley.

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Saturday denied commenting on Anupam Kher’s attempt to represent Kashmiri Pandits.

Actor Naseeruddin Shah during an exclusive interview with HT City on May 27, 2016. The actor has denied making any controversial remarks about Anupam Kher.(Shivam Saxena/ HT Photo)

“I have not said any such thing, this is all misreporting,” Shah told ANI.

While in Delhi on Friday to promote his film, Waiting, the three-time national award-winning actor reportedly took potshots at Kher, who has been vocal about his fight for Kashmiri Pandits and for their rehabilitation in the Valley.

“A person who has never lived in Kashmir has started a fight for Kashmiri Pandits. Suddenly, he became a displaced person,” he said, according to PTI.

However. Anupam Kher told ANI that Shah has denied making any such statements.

“I contacted Naseeruddin Shah, he has denied making such statements,” said Kher. “He (Naseer) told me when I have never said all this for so many years then why will I say it now?”

Shah is also said to have remarked on two years of the Narendra Modi government, expressing concern over how textbooks are being altered under the BJP-led government. “Changes made in a few textbooks worry me,” he was reported as saying.

But, according to PTI, Shah also said that the government is not “stupid” to take the nation back to the “dark ages”.

“People are taking decisions and making perceptions too fast. I think we should give the government more time. But there are a few things that make me concerned, like the kind of alterations in the textbooks... those are the things to worry about,” said Shah.

The 66-year-old actor also supported noted lyricist Javed Akhtar’s statements during his farewell speech in Rajya Sabha saying nobody has the right to question a person’s love for their motherland.

“I am sad that statements like these [referring to AIMIM MP Asaddudin Owaisi] are made and then they are not even condemned. Like Javed sahab said, it is his right to say Vande Mataram and Bharat mata ki jai. I will say it with my choice, not because somebody asks me to,” he said.

“Nobody has the right to question my love for my country”

Akhtar had slammed Owaisi for refusing to say ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ because the constitution does not mandate it. He had also condemned Right-wing extremists who ask Indian Muslims to go to Pakistan.