Shabana Azmi reignites intolerance debate, says anyone who criticises govt is branded 'anti-national'

Shabana Azmi reignites intolerance debate, says anyone who criticises govt is branded 'anti-national'

Indore: Reigniting the intolerance debate, veteran actress Shabana Azmi during an event in Madhya Pradesh's Indore said that anyone who criticises the government is branded as an "anti-national" while asserting that nobody needs a certificate of patriotism from the government. 

"It is always necessary that we point out our flaws for the betterment of our country. If we do not, how can our conditions improve? But the atmosphere is such that if we criticise the government we are branded as anti-nationals. We should not be afraid, nobody needs their certificate," Azmi said. 

Shabana was speaking after being honoured with 'Kunti Mathur Award' instituted by the Anandmohan Mathur Charitable Trust in recognition of her work for women.

Speaking at the event, Shabana asserting that people should fight the situation and not kneel before it. "India is a beautiful country. Any attempt to divide people cannot be good for this country," she said.

Notably, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh was present during the event and used the opportunity to take potshots at the government. Slamming the recently elected Bhopal MP - BJP's Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur who defeated him in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh said, "Today the person who killed Mahatma Gandhi is being hailed as a patriot. There are reports that Nathuram Godse's statue is being constructed. Can we not raise our voice against this?"

The Congress leader also slammed BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya for attacking a municipal corporation officer with a bat. Singh said, "Akash's father (Kailash Vijayvargiya) shows a shoe while his son shows a bat." Singh also cited economist Amartya Sen's statement on Lord Ram to corner the BJP, terming its ideology as "anti-women." 

"Sangh is anti-women. Why don't they take Lord Ram's wife Sita ji's name? Why don't they say Jai Siya Ram?" Singh was quoted by ANI as saying. 

Last week, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen had hit out at RSS over the rising Hindutva politics in West Bengal. "I haven't heard Jai Shri Ram earlier. It is now used to beat up people. I think it has no association with Bengali culture. Nowadays, Ram Navami is celebrated more in Kolkata which I haven't heard earlier," Sen had said. 

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