The Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar accused Pakistan of invading his country and harboring terrorists in several previous incidents.
Indian playwright Javed Akhtar has a constant critic of Pakistan and its government.
The singer’s recent visit to Lahore for the 7th Faiz Festival created quite a stir on social media.
Apart from expressing his love for legendary Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and respecting all languages. His controversial remarks about the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks have angered many.
However, this is not the first time that the scriptwriter made derogatory remarks against Pakistan.
Javed Akhtar on Uri attacks
In 2016, Akhtar told Times Now that Pakistani actors’ silence on the Uri attack was because they believed Pakistan was responsible.
Speaking to Times Now, the 78-year-old artiste says, “His silence is a kind of acknowledgment by Pakistani actors that Pakistan is responsible for this.
It’s the least they (actors) can do.” He commented, “If Pakistan says ‘we are not responsible for this (Uri attack)’, then I don’t see any reason why a Pakistani artist or a Pakistani citizen should go to Uri and carry out this kind of terrorist attack.” Don’t condemn. Because they say we are not responsible for it, so Kamal, let’s come out and condemn it! Any Pakistani who remains silent on this is condemning our statement that the original Pakistan is responsible for this.”
On the Pulwama attack
In 2019, Akhtar and his wife, popular Indian actor Shabana Azmi, were scheduled to attend an event organized by the Arts Council in memory of poet Kaifi Azmi, which was canceled after the Pulwama attack.
At that time, Akhtar had announced his decision to withdraw from the festival on social media. He tweeted, “Invited by the Karachi Art Council. Shabana and I for a two-day literary conference on Kafi Azmi and her poetry, we have cancelled. During the Indo-Pak War in 1965, Kaifi Sahib had written a poem, ‘Aur Phir Krishna Ne Arjun Se Kaha’.
Akhtar on 26/11 Mumbai attacks
Javed Akhtar has expressed his views against the Pakistani government on his social media for many years and has tweeted several times about various incidents.
More recently, the Jee Le Zara lyricist said that Indians have held many events for Pakistani artistes, such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehdi Hasan, but Pakistan has never hosted Lata Mangeshkar.
The audience appreciated his comment. He further said that one should not blame each other. He continued: “This will not solve the problems. The ongoing political crisis needs to be cooled. I am from Mumbai and we all saw the attack on the city. The attackers were not from Norway or Egypt. They are now are also present in your country, so you should not be offended if an Indian complains about it.”