Pakistan artists come to India to rake in moolah: Trivedi

Allahabad, Sep 28: Amidst demands from various quarters for a boycott of Pakistani artists in the aftermath of the Uri attack, BJP today said that it was "natural" for the people to be "less concerned about entertainment" and pointed out that actors and musicians from the neighboring country "come here not just to display their talents but also to rake in moolah".

"Pakistani actors and musicians earn tonnes of money when they gain popularity in India and get the opportunity to perform on Indian soil. Their own country hardly offers an environment wherein their careers could flourish. Hence, it must be kept in mind that these artists come here not just to display their talents but also to rake in moolah," BJP national spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters here.

"In such a scenario, it has to be acknowledged that Pakistani artists here are basically entertainers who come to India with economic gain in mind. However, at a time when the nation is outraged by the recent attack on an army camp where several soldiers have died fighting terrorists enjoying Pakistani patronage, it is natural for the people of this country to be less concerned about entertainment," he said.

To a query as to whether he endorsed the line taken by Raj Thackeray's MNS as well as some leaders in his own party including controversial MLA Sangeet Som, Trivedi cryptically replied "it is for the people of the country to decide whether Pakistani artists should stay here or not".

"The BJP will stand by the popular sentiment though the party does not deem it proper to take a stand of its own on this issue," he said.

The BJP spokesman said that the Narendra Modi government "has come up with the most effective response, in the history of the country, to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism which has plagued Jammu and Kashmir for decades. "It is for the first time that Pakistan's track record on human rights violations in Baluchistan stands exposed before the international community. The decision to review Indus Water Treaty too is a bold step," he said.

PTI