'Introspect': Naseeruddin Shah's message for those celebrating Taliban’s return

The return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan sparked fears among several nations, women’s rights and free press activists.

Actor Naseeruddin Shah warned Muslims in India to not rejoice the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. He said that the Muslim community should "introspect" before engaging in such actions and should bat for "reform and modernity".

“It is scary when a section of Indian Muslims are seen celebrating the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan. Indian Muslims should decide whether they want reform and modernity or they want to follow medieval belief systems and values,” the veteran actor said in a video message released on Wednesday.

“I am Indian Muslim. Indian Islam was always different from the rest of the world. May God not bring a time when it changes so much that we don't even recognise it,” he further added.

He also referenced to Mirza Ghalib's poem and said that he had an "informal" relationship with the Almighty.

The return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan sparked fears among several nations, women’s rights and free press activists. These sections fear that the Taliban will impose medieval laws, like they did when they were in power between 1996-2001, and will not guarantee basic fundamental human rights.

Women’s rights activists and world leaders believe that the Taliban may impose restrictions or outright ban women’s education and stop them from working as professionals in a bid to curb their financial independence.

World leaders also fear that the Taliban will be intolerant to minorities and will not follow up on the pledge of being ‘moderate’, which they made when they took over Afghanistan within a matter of weeks in August.