Bollywood actor Salman Khan found himself with his foot in his mouth after parties across the political spectrum pilloried him over a statement he allegedly made — that the 26/11 terror attack got a lot of publicity as the rich and the elite were victims.
In a statement to Pakistani news agency, Salman had said the terror attack got all the attention that it did because many “rich people” died.
Salman, however, promptly denied on the social networking platform Twitter that the statement had any anti-national connotation, saying he had been misinterpreted. The actor later apologised on the website YouTube, saying, “I did not mean to hurt anyone’s sentiments. If I have hurt anybody’s sentiments, I am really, really sorry,” Salman said in a video message posted on Youtube. “I gave an interview to the channel three weeks ago. In this festive season of Id and Ganesh Chaturthi, a segment of the interview has been twisted and released. I saw it and realised that it sounded very insensitive,” said Salman. “What I meant was that every human life is precious, be it rich or poor. I always had and always will have faith in our intelligence agencies, Army and police forces. I did not mean to hurt anybody. If I have hurt anybody I am really sorry,” said Salman.
Salman had come in for attack not only from the Shiv Sena and BJP but even from the Congress and other parties, which demanded that he immediately apologise.
“It is inexplicable as to what quite happens with all these Khans — how their tongues keep slipping. In Pakistan, Indian channels are banned and our artistes are not allowed to perform there. How and why, then, would Salman give an interview to a Pakistani channel? There can be no explanation about what he has said. If he thinks it was an attack on the rich and only a few select people, he is wrong, as it was an attack on the nation. If he does not know that, he probably hasn’t learnt anything about nationalism in Salim Khan’s (Salman’s father) school either. He celebrates Ganeshotsav at his home, and I hope God gives him good thoughts,” said Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut. The BJP is demanding an unconditional apology as it claims his statement has weakened the nation’s stand against terrorism.
Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan said any controversial statement hardly makes a difference now as the facts about Pakistan-sponsored terrorism have already been proved in court. “I don’t know what Salman has said but the stand of the government is quite clear. The role of Pakistan in the 26/11 terror attack has been proven in a court of law and the court has also given its judgment. So, from our point of view, whatever anyone says is of little importance,” the CM said.
Meanwhile, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who headed the prosecution against lone surviving terrorist Ajmal Aamir Kasab, said Salman’s statement was irresponsible. “Salman Khan has made a statement without giving it a thought. If he is saying that the terror attack was blown out of proportion and got undue publicity only because rich people were killed in the Oberoi and Taj hotels, I believe he does not know anything about the attack. It was a war against India. To make a statement like this is childish, but when a famous film celebrity makes such a statement he should first think about its consequences. Salman should have acted responsibly,” Mr Nikam said.