Raut, Shiv Sena MP backs Shah Rukh Khan

The MP’s comment came a day after a BJP leader, Kailash Vijayvargiya, called Shah Rukh – as the actor is widely known and who turned 50 on Monday – a “deshdrohi” (traitor). “There is intolerance, there is extreme intolerance… there is I think… there is growing intolerance”, he had said.

He also gave further clarification on the words he said that “There is extreme intolerance in the country”.

“Shah Rukh Khan is a superstar only because the country is tolerant and has never thought in the name of religion”, the Sena leader said.

His comments saw him being targeted by BJP & VHP politicians in the most outrageous manner.

Later an official press meet took place.

“This can happen in only one country in the world and that is India”.

“If this is not anti-nationalist, then what is it?”

However, with the senior BJP general secretary’s comments triggering widespread condemnation, the government was but forced to distance itself from the controversial comments in a bid to do damage control.

Vijayvargiya has since retracted his senseless tweet.

A BJP MP Adityanath had criticised Shah Rukh Khan’s comments and stated that he was like alleged terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

Following his remarks that there was intolerance in India, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s security was beefed up in India. I am saying these people are speaking the language of terror.

Shah Rukh Khan and Hafiz Saeed. “I take back my yesterday’s tweet”, he said on microblogging site Twitter this morning, even as his party distanced itself from his earlier remarks critical of the actor saying it was “not the view of the BJP”.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should personally apologise to Shah Rukh”, an Assam Congress leader said.

The actor said that he supports the feeling of the artistes and writers who have returned their awards but he would rather choose a different form of protest, like a march or a strike.