Intolerance row: When Shahrukh Khan attacked those who called him 'anti-national'

New Delhi, Dec 9: Days after he embroiled in the 'intolerance' controversy, Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan has clarified about the same. Expressing shock and agony that his 'intolerance comment' was twisted, Khan said that he doesn't need to prove his 'secular' credentials'.

He made this statement while talking with ETV channel during an interview. "I really don't know anything about this. I speak straight-forward, clear-cut and good things whenever I speak. And I feel I need not prove myself secular", Khan said.

He further said, "the logic is that if we want to move forward, we should not keep such things in our mind like sex differentiation, whether the person is fair or dark, which religion the person belongs to, which region the person hails from or which caste the person belongs to."

During interview, superstar Shahrukh Khan also vowed that now-onwards he will only talk about acting and films.

"I have decided, I will discuss serious topics on a platform where I would be invited. But that is very rare. In most of the cases, people don't invite me for discussion on serious topics. But it is not required to discuss such topics during film promotions and birthdays.

Khan said that I made the general comment but people gave twist to it according to their own convenience.

"Because the platform is not correct. When I speak in such programmes, people take my half words and they are placed in a different context. So, I think it is better that actors on acting platform should talk about acting and films only," said the actor, who is awaiting the release of his film Dilwale.

'Those who questions my patriotism are stupid'

Slamming people who termed him anti-national for his comment, he said, "If someone tells me that he is more patriotic than me, then he is stupid. From which angle can someone justify himself to be more patriotic? There is no logic behind that. We suddenly start shouting that I am more patriotic than you. Actually, we all are patriotic."

The actor asserted that he expressed his 'genuine feelings' in the previous interview, which was tossed away as negative.

"I genuinely spoke that I will teach my children these things. Then someone asked me 'Do you think such things are there?' I replied, 'It's not there'.

But it should not be there to move forward in life. I even told that some people will take it wrong and say that he is speaking like that. Who will be more thankful towards this nation than me," said the actor, who is married to Gauri and has three children with her.

Praised Prime Minister

Shahrukh Khan was all praises for the PM Modi-led government. He heaped praise upon Narendra Modi, calling his governance 'fantastic'.

"I think the developmental clause of his governance is fantastic. I am all for modernity and development. And it will be fantastic if he takes it up and makes it for the whole country," he said.

When Yogi Adityanath compared him to Pakistani terrorist

Shahrukh Khan's comment about 'extreme intolerance' in India last month made him the focal point of a controversy. BJP MP Yogi Adityanath compared him to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed, while Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sadhvi Prachi dubbed the actor a 'Pakistani agent'.

SRK's colleague Aamir Khan had to face a similar problem after he revealed that his wife had suggested they leave the country.

The controversy was revisited by Sadhvi Prachi on Tuesday when she attacked Shah Rukh and Aamir, accusing them of 'tarnishing' the image of India through their comments on 'intolerance'.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from IANS)