Javed Akhtar: The interpretation of nationalism for some people is quite strange
| Nov 12, 2017, 16:22 IST
Lyricist Javed Akhtar said politicians, who consider they are mammoth than the nation, are wrong and should know that they do not constituited the nation, but people of the country do. The writer said, "The interpretation of nationalism for some people is quite strange. They think that they are the nation. If you oppose them, then you become anti-national. These politicians are like the harvesting crop. They change when the crop changes. They don't stay here for eternity. Nation is larger than a political party and a politician. Any politician who thinks that he is the nation, then he is wrong.”
Javed Akhtar, had last year criticised the Union Minister V K Singh for proposing to rename Akbar Road in Lutyens Delhi to Maharana Pratap Road, said the country has produced many great leaders and Mughal emperor Akbar was one of them. This country has produced many great leaders and if you make a list of them, then without Akbar that list is incomplete," said Akhtar.
Javed Akhtar also added, "That man was a huge personality with a vision nobody can match. About 400 years back when Europe had not even heard the word secularism. But here was a man in this country, who was not only secular, but also understood the philosophy and theory of secularism. He was working on it. It is saddening that a secular Muslim is always abused by fundamentalist people and the people from the other side. This is a very sorry state of affairs that any Muslim is not considered an Indian. Tipu Sultan is not an Indian and if I do not agree to this thought, then I become anti-national. Then I am an anti-national."
Javed Akhtar, had last year criticised the Union Minister V K Singh for proposing to rename Akbar Road in Lutyens Delhi to Maharana Pratap Road, said the country has produced many great leaders and Mughal emperor Akbar was one of them. This country has produced many great leaders and if you make a list of them, then without Akbar that list is incomplete," said Akhtar.
Javed Akhtar also added, "That man was a huge personality with a vision nobody can match. About 400 years back when Europe had not even heard the word secularism. But here was a man in this country, who was not only secular, but also understood the philosophy and theory of secularism. He was working on it. It is saddening that a secular Muslim is always abused by fundamentalist people and the people from the other side. This is a very sorry state of affairs that any Muslim is not considered an Indian. Tipu Sultan is not an Indian and if I do not agree to this thought, then I become anti-national. Then I am an anti-national."