NEW DELHI, Aug 17: Indian actress Shabana Azmi claimed in an interview on Sunday that she and her celebrity husband Javed Akhtar had been unable to find a new house for themselves in Mumbai because they are Muslim.

“If Shabana and Javed Akhtar cannot find a house in the most cosmopolitan city you can imagine what must be happening with the ordinary Muslims elsewhere,” she said in a TV interview on CNN-IBN channel. “I have read a report about Saif (Ali Khan) being denied a house.”

While communal prejudices had forced Muslims to live in ghettoes, she said, India was a country of contradictions and Muslims were doing well too, “including all the Khans who rule the film industry.”

The actress has served as a nominated MP in the Rajya Sabha and is known for her outspoken views against religious bigotry, which are particularly aimed at the Muslim clergy. Her comments about communal prejudices are not dissimilar to the reasons sometimes given to explain why Pakistan has been unable to find an office for its consulate in the country’s business capital.

Pakistani film-maker Hasan Zaidi had faced a similar ordeal last year when he was asked to leave his hotel in Mumbai when they found he had a Pakistani passport. His Indian colleagues intervened to get him accommodation in another hotel.

The Bharatiya Janata Party lashed out at film-actress-turned-social activist for accusing the Indian polity of being unfair to Muslims, and termed her comments as uncharitable and irresponsible.

At a news conference in Bangalore, senior party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu termed Ms Azmi’s remarks as “very, very unfair and uncharitable comment against the nation and the majority community”.

In the TV programme, Ms Azmi had accused the Indian polity of being unfair to Muslims, making only “token gestures”, instead of addressing the real issues.

Mr Naidu said that Muslims have occupied high positions in India, including the post of President of India, Chief Justices of Supreme Court and captain of Indian cricket team. He noted that ‘Khans are ruling the Bollywood’ with people appreciating their work. — Jawed Naqvi

Opinion

Is all well?

Is all well?

The government let its jitters turn a low-profile event into a successful effort of resistance.

Editorial

IMF scrutiny
Updated 04 Mar, 2025

IMF scrutiny

Boosting economic stability, flows from multilateral agencies, and sovereign credit rating upgrade depend on IMF review's success.
Diplomatic protocol
04 Mar, 2025

Diplomatic protocol

IT is a fact that KP — which shares a long border with Afghanistan — is directly affected by cross-border...
Polio politics
04 Mar, 2025

Polio politics

THE dispute between the centre and Punjab over the detection of polio cases in Mandi Bahauddin is unnecessary and...
Aid dependency
Updated 03 Mar, 2025

Aid dependency

Govts need to increase funding in critical areas such as healthcare that have been affected by USAID shake-up.
Failing women
03 Mar, 2025

Failing women

OUR justice system has truly failed to protect women, a recent SSDO report has revealed. With conviction rates...
Cold world
03 Mar, 2025

Cold world

WESTERN countries do not have a heart for poor, non-white migrants. A recent BBC News report comprising leaked ...