Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam said in a statement that the political party will not permit Javed Akhtar's films to release in India till the lyricist apologises for comparing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad to the Taliban. Kadam's declaration came after Akhtar's interview to a news channel in which he said that the Taliban are barbaric but the ones supporting the RSS and VHP and Bajrang Dal are all the same. 

In a video, Kadam reacted to Akhtar's statement and told, "Before making these remarks, he should have thought that people with the same ideology are running the government now and are fulfilling raj dharma. If their ideology was Talibani, would he have been able to make these remarks? This shows how hollow his statements are. We will not allow any of his films to run in this land of Ma Bharti till he apologises with folded hands to the functionaries of the Sangh who have dedicated their lives to the nation."

# # , # . # # . pic.twitter.com/ahWgVQWuvH

— Ram Kadam - (@ramkadam) September 4, 2021

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Reportedly, BJP's youth wing took out a protest march to the lyricist's residence on Saturday to demand an apology for his remark. A protestor told a news portal, "We think that Akhtar is not mentally stable. This country has given him everything. RSS helps people at the grassroots and he has compared them to Taliban. This is unacceptable. If he doesn’t apologise our agitation against him will only get more intense."

In his interview with the news channel, Akhtar said, "Just like the Taliban want an Islamic State, there are those who want a Hindu Rashtra. These people are of the same mindset -- be it Muslim, Christian, Jews or Hindus. Of course, the Taliban is barbaric, and their actions are reprehensible, but those supporting the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal are all the same.

He added, "Most of the Muslims I spoke to were shocked and appalled that such statements were made by some. Today, most young Muslims in India want a good job and a good education for their children in good schools. But on the other hand, there are some who want to believe in this kind of regressive thinking -- where men and women are segregated, where regressive mindset is promoted. But like I said, these people are a handful, so let them say what they want, they will not achieve it."

He further said, "I have total faith in the basic sensibility of an average Indian. The majority of this nation is extremely decent and tolerant. That must be respected. India will never become a Talibani country."

(Source: Twitter/ NDTV/India Today)