Ajmer Literature Festival cancels Naseeruddin Shah’s event, Here’s why

Naseeruddin Shah‘s keynote address at the Ajmer Literature Festival has been canceled on Friday after protests erupted over the actor’s recent remarks on the Bulandshahr violence. Earlier this week, the Bollywood actor found himself at the centre of a major controversy over his remarks about the killing of a policeman in Bulandshahr.

The controversy started after a video emerged on social media in which Shah can be heard saying “the death of a cow has more significance than that of a police officer.”  He also asserted that living in this country, he worries for his children, “I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, ‘Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?’ they will have no answer. It worries me that I don’t see the situation improving anytime soon.”

Shortly after the video went viral, many people took to the streets to protests against the veteran actor. They expressed their angerby showing black flags and burning the actor’s effigy. Clarifying his remarks a day after, Shah explained that he was merely expressing his concerns as a countryman. “I have done no wrong in expressing my concerns about the country which I love and where I live,” he explained.

The controversy started after a video emerged on social media in which Shah can be heard saying “the death of a cow has more significance than that of a police officer.”  He also asserted that living in this country, he worries for his children, “I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, ‘Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?’ they will have no answer. It worries me that I don’t see the situation improving anytime soon.”

Shortly after the video went viral, many people took to the streets to protests against the veteran actor. They expressed their angerby showing black flags and burning the actor’s effigy. Clarifying his remarks a day after, Shah explained that he was merely expressing his concerns as a countryman. “I have done no wrong in expressing my concerns about the country which I love and where I live,” he explained.