Don’t Call Yourself a Patriot: Yogeshwar Dutt to Naseeruddin Shah

Yogeshwar Dutt hit out at actor Naseeruddin Shah over the latter’s comments referring to Bulandshahr violence.

Naseeruddin Shah and Yogeshwar Dutt

(Photo: IANS/AP/Altered by The Quint)

Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt took to Twitter on Thursday, 21 December, to hit out at actor Naseeruddin Shah, saying that he should not call himself a patriot after showing pity for terrorism. In his tweets, Dutt indicated that his comments on the Bulandshahr violence constituted as selective outrage.

The Olympic medalist's comment came in response to Shah's remarks that "the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman" and that he feels "anxious" for his children looking at the current state of affairs.

Shah’s statements were an apparent reference to the Bulandshahr mob violence in Uttar Pradesh, where police officer Subodh Kumar Singh and another man were killed by an angry mob on 3 December over alleged cow slaughter.

In one of his tweets on Friday, Dutt wrote:

“All of us regret the death of people in Bulandshahr. But a lot of riots have happened before this and innocent people have lost their lives – but you (Naseeruddin Shah) didn’t feel scared then. This makes me understand what side you are on. Please don’t call yourself a patriot after showing pity on terrorism.”

Yogeshwar Dutt

Dutt also asked Shah where was his fear when the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the 1993 Mumbai blasts and the 26/11 attacks took place.

In an apparent reference to 39 Indians being killed after being kidnapped by ISIS in Iraq, Dutt said, "One terrorist group kidnapped citizens of India and Bangladesh and later released the Bangladeshis based on their religion. The remaining 39 Indians were killed. Didn't you feel angry then? Didn't you feel scared when signing on the mercy petition for terrorist Yakub Memon."

Earlier on Friday, despite a public backlash, Naseeruddin Shah said that he stood by his statement.

“What I said earlier was as a worried Indian. What did I say this time that I am being termed as a traitor? I am expressing concerns about the country I love, the country that is my home. How is that a crime?” (sic)“

Naseeruddin Shah

Shah’s comment on “a cow’s life has more importance than a police officer’s” was made in a video interview with Karwan-e-Mohabbat India.

In the interview, the actor had said that the “poison has already spread” and it would now be difficult to contain it.

“It will be very difficult to capture this jinn back into the bottle again. There is complete impunity for those who take law into their own hands. In many areas, we are witnessing that the death of a cow is more significant than that of a police officer.”

Naseeruddin Shah

In the interview, Shah further said that he is worried that the situation would not improve "anytime soon" and said he is angry, but not scared.

“These matters don't scare me, they make me angry. And I feel every right-thinking man should feel angry, not scared. This is our home. Who dare evict us from here?” he questioned.