Naseeruddin Shah says Mughals were 'refugees,' gets thrashed online
What's the story
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has again invited trouble with his controversial comments. This time, the Sarfarosh star likened Mughals to "refugees," who had come to India "to make this their homeland" during an online interview recently. As soon as a clip from the talk surfaced online, it spread like wildfire with social media users jumping in to criticize the comparison.
Context
Why does it matter?
Known to openly criticize the government, the 71-year-old often takes on colleagues and political figures head-on. Back in September, Shah had dropped a bomb when he said nowadays directors were being "encouraged by the government" to make films "lauding the efforts of our beloved leader." His comment on the Taliban taking over Afghanistan had also landed him in trouble from certain sections.
Details
'We forget Mughals...have contributed to the country'
It was in an audio-visual interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire about the condition of Muslims in current India Shah commented on the Mughals. "The so-called atrocities of the Mughals are being highlighted all the time. We forget [they] have contributed to the country. They have left lasting monuments in the country and have left the tradition of dancing, music, painting, and literature."
Twitter Post
Netizens were simply not having it with Shah's comment
If a refugee comes, kills natives, destroyed their temples and force them to convert, there is a dictionary term for them - Colonizers and Invaders! #naseeruddinshah
— Che Mir (@cheez_m) December 30, 2021
Quote
'Mughals came here to make this their homeland,' opined Shah
"Mughals came here to make this their homeland. You can call them refugees if you like," added the actor. And this portion has gone viral online. "If a dacoit takes over my property, relegates me to a small part of my own property, and decides to stay on in my property—that means he has valid legal claims to my property?" asked a Twitter user.
Reaction
Shah has not spoken up against backlash
Another user wondered aloud why the Mughals had chosen to settle here, why did they "destroy temples," and "[kill] local people." Shah is yet to react to the backlash. During the chat, the A Wednesday star was of the opinion that "Muslims are being marginalized and made redundant" today with calls for genocide and ethnic cleansing being made publicly.