Salman Khan says 'Jai Ho' Narendra Modi, boycotted

Updated: Tuesday, January 28, 2014, 12:15 [IST]

Mumbai, Jan 28: Bollywood actor Salman Khan might not have imagined that his one statement on Narendra Modi would bring so much trouble for him. Now, a few Muslim clerics asked their followers to boycott Salman's recently released movie 'Jai Ho".

The star, who is expecting to break all records with his block-bluster movie Jai Ho, recently had made several headlines for praising the Gujarat CM who is also the PM candidate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Salman had met Modi during a Kite Festival in Ahmedabad where he aid that Modi need not apologise for Gujarat riots 2002. His statement did not go well with a section of Muslim clerics.

A member of the All India Ulema Council and an imam at a mosque in Bhendi Bazaar -- Maulana Ejaz Kashmiri was quoted as saying, "Salman's statement that there is no need for Modi to say sorry for the 2002 riots is provocative and deplorable. It has hurt the sentiments of Muslims and the community should boycott the actor's present and future films and the products he endorses unless he apologises."

Muslim clerics asked followers to boycott Salman Khan's movie -- Jai Ho

The actor, who played it safe in Ahmedabad when asked about his preference as the future prime minister of India, stuck to his position during the interview. When asked about endorsing Modi, Khan said he is not in favour of letting his view influence his fans' judgment.

Recently, a court in Gujarat upheld a Supreme Court investigation that cleared Mr Modi of allegations of complicity in the riots.

Salman's statement also had irked Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who said that Gujarat riot can neither be forgotten nor forgiven. Nitish is known as a critic of Modi.

JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar ended his 17-year alliance with the BJP in 2013 over BJP's decision to elevate Modi to its top campaigner for Lok Sabha election 2014. Like other detractors of Modi, the Bihar chief minister alleges that the BJP leader should be held accountable for the communal violence that lacerated Gujarat during his first term as its chief minister.

OneIndia News