NEW DELHI: As protests against a worrying climate of intolerance continued to grow across India on Monday, popular movie actor Shah Rukh Khan joined in, but he stopped short of returning any state award yet.

Khan, who turned 50 on Monday, lent his voice to the countrywide chorus of protests involving a large section of the intelligentsia. They want the present ‘climate of intolerance’ to be tamed.

Reports quoted him as saying there was “extreme intolerance” in the country.

About the returning of their awards by filmmakers, scientists and writers, Khan said he would not hesitate to give up his awards as a “symbolic gesture” if he has to, but he felt he does not have to do so at present. Padma Shri is among the awards in the actor’s kitty.

“There is intolerance, there is extreme intolerance… there is I think… there is growing intolerance,” Shah Rukh Khan told India Today TV.

“It is stupid… It is stupid to be intolerant and this is our biggest issue not just an issue…Religious intolerance and not being secular in this country is the worst kind of crime that you can do as a patriot,” he said.

Asked whether he will give up his Padma Shri award, Shah Rukh responded: “I mean just for a symbolic gesture, yes, if I have to.”

At the same time, he said, “I respect those who returned awards, but I don’t have to.”

“People put words into the air even before thinking and here is a secular country. Here is a country perhaps for the last 10 years that is on the cusp of going beyond what we think,” Shah Rukh, said elaborating his views on the growing intolerance.

He also responded to criticism about actors not participating in the protest and raising their voices.

Being a star, it was tough for him to take a stand on every moral issue. “We may talk about freedom of speech, but people come outside my house and throw stones…”

“If I do take a stand, I’ll stand by it,” he stressed.

Khan said that no one can and should ever question his patriotism.

“We will never be a superpower if we are not going to believe that all religions are equal,” he added.

Another jolt to the Modi establishment came when Arun Shourie, a minister in the Vajpayee cabinet but now a critic of the Modi government.

“PM is not a section officer in the homeopathy department” and must speak out on intolerance, he told India Today TV. He criticised claims by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the greatest victim of intolerance.

This was “the most dangerous thing to do because it will give him grounds to be vengeful”, Mr Shourie said.

Someone senior in the government had called the government’s critics rabid.

The prime minister tweets about every inconsequential issue, but has kept silent after the Dadri lynching of a Muslim man by Hindutva cow worshippers, the journalist-turned-politician said. He has failed to fulfil his moral responsibility and, in breach of oath of office, he’s turning India into Pakistan, Mr Shourie said.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2015

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