Filmmaker Ali Akbar renounces Islam in protest against jubilation over General Bipin Rawat's death

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11: Malayalam film director and Sangh Parivar fellow traveller Ali Akbar announced the news of renouncing Islam in protest against a section of social media users who posted derogatory comments over the tragic death of Chief Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and his wife in a helicopter crash.

In a video posted on his social media account, he said, "I am not a Muslim from today onwards. I am an Indian," the filmmaker said in it. In the clip, he criticised the people who indulged in jubilation over the death and at those who put smiley emoticons below the news reports related to the death of General Rawat.

The Malayalam filmmaker said he could not stand with the "anti-nationals" anymore.

Akbar's decision comes in the wake of a section of members of a minority community reportedly rejoicing Rawat's death.

Ali Akbar, in October, resigned from all responsibilities in the BJP claiming that he was "pained" by the Kerala unit's organisational level action against BJP state secretary AK Nazeer. However, he continued as a member of the saffron party.

In an emotional Facebook post, he had said it was very difficult for the common man to understand the kind of humiliations and abuses being faced by a Muslim, from his own family and community, while working for the BJP.

At this stage, he is busy with a movie made on the Malabar rebellion also called as Moplah riot that took place in north Kerala in 1921.

Meanwhile, cases in Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan and a few other states have been filed for posting derogatory posts on General Bipin Rawat, who was laid to rest with full state honours on Friday.

PTI