Stepping up his attack on Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for opposing the ban on Pakistani artistes in India, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday asked him to go and work there.
"Our soldiers don't have any personal animosity with Pakistani soldiers. The bullets our soldiers face are not filmy. Salman gets up after being hit by a bullet," Raj said, reacting to Salman's remarks, adding "I have seen his tubelight blinker many a time."
"I am also an artiste and artistes don't fall from the sky. Pakistani artistes have refused to condemn Uri terror attack. Why should our artists speak up for them?," Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief told media persons in Mumbai.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority announced its decision to ban all ‘illegal’ Indian channels across the nation from October 15th.
The PEMRA has warned that strict action would be taken according to law after October 15 if TV channels and distribution networks failed to follow the directions.
The authority further said it was receiving numerous complaints on illegal Indian content being aired on satellite TV channels.
The decision was taken after looking at the current situation of India and Pakistan, following which authorities have been urged to impose immediate ban on broadcast and distribution of illegal Indian content and illegal Indian DTH.
Raj said the 50-year-old actor should work in Pakistan if he has so much love for artistes of the neighbouring country.
"Artistes should know its always 'nation first'. Artistes are not inseparable from society. Is there a dearth of talent in our country?," he said, adding those supporting Pakistani artists will face opposition from his party.
Raj said he does not buy the argument that there is no justification in banning Pakistani artists since they are not terrorists.
"How does that concern me if the people are good. I am seeing only terrorists who come to kill our people," he said, adding film industry was only concerned about the business of their films.
Raj said what would happen if Indian soldiers keep aside their arms to hear a Ghulam Ali concert. "What will happen then. Are soldiers our servants? ...they are protecting us."
Interestingly, Raj is on good terms with Salman and is a regular visitor to the actor's home during the Ganpati festival.
Salman had on Friday said artistes from Pakistan should not be treated like terrorists and art and terrorism should not be mixed.
The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association has passed a resolution to ban Pakistani actors from the industry in the wake of the Uri attack, which left 19 soldiers dead.
The resolution came after Indian Army announced that seven terror launch pads were targeted across the LoC by special forces during a 'surgical strikes'
