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Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that Bollywood actor Aamir Khan had knowingly or unknowingly managed to hurt India and himself with his 'irresponsible' statement, adding that the 'painful' remark has boosted the 'orchestrated' disinformation campaign launched by the political opponents.
"Aamir has produced many sensitive, thought provoking and realistic films that have become popular in India. Unfortunately yesterday, knowingly or unknowingly, he has hurt India and himself with what he said," Naidu said in New Delhi.
"India is the most tolerant country in the world and everybody is saying so. We know what is happening in the neighbourhood and also in the western countries. India is a nation of peace and hope. It is unfortunate that a famous actor like Aamir Khan is making such immature statements," he added.
Naidu, however, said that the Bollywood star had complete freedom and was well within his rights to express his views, but he should keep in mind if he is 'serving the cause of the nation or hurting it'.
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi echoed his colleague’s views and said that tolerance is in India's DNA and the actor need not leave the country, advising him to not come under the influence of "fabricated political propaganda".
"Tolerance is in India's DNA. There is no space for intolerance in the country. People don't need to get influenced by fabricated political propaganda," Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in a tweet on Wednesday.
"There is nothing wrong as peace and harmony are prevailing in the country. So Aamir does not need to leave the country. He should stay back and should not come under the influence of fabricated political propaganda," he added.
"The country is developing and there is peace in the nation. The nation has given eveythign to Aamir Khan. When you are star, people listen to you, but your statements can also be used by those against to nation to tarnish its image of international platforms. Do not tarnish the image of the nation," Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
Khan was at the centre of a raging debate after he expressed "alarm and despondency" over the rise in incidents of intolerance in the last six to eight months in an interaction at a ceremony here.
"Kiran (his wife) and I have lived all our life in India. For the first time, she said, should we move out of India...
She fears for her child, she fears about what the atmosphere around us will be," the actor had said on Monday.
Khan also supported those returning their awards, saying one of the ways for creative people to express their dissatisfaction or disappointment was by giving back awards.
With inputs from PTI