Wonder why a 2015 clipped whatsapp video where you here then yet-to-become chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Ajay Bisht aka Adityanath reviling Shah Rukh Khan is suddenly doing the rounds again, today on December 2, 2022? Khan has a staggering 42.8 million following on twitter and has had his fair share of agony under the present regime and their zenophobic allies.
December 2, 2022 was chosen to recycle the 2015 video with Adityanath spewing venom only because the star, a believing Muslim was yesterday photographed at Jeddah performing the ritualistic Umrah at Mecca, reported The Hindustan Times. In the pictures on social, Shah Rukh is seen wearing Rida and Izar. He also had his face covered with a mask. While several fans were appreciative, this provided a good occasion to the noxious right wing to regurgitate Ajay Bisht’s venom. That and the fact that the film, Pathan is reportedly releasing on January 25, 2023. It does not matter to the ring-leaders of hate that Shah Rukh Khan, in lived life and practice is also extremely inclusive and tolerant of other faiths
Shah Rukh Khan yesterday performed Umrah in Mecca ahead of Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah. The holy city is just a few hours away from Jeddah. This was after wrapping up his upcoming film Dunki shoot in Saudi Arabia.
Muslim super star, Shah Rukh Khan, Umrah in Mecca, all these symbols are enough to re-spiral the saga of hate.
In 2015, Adityanath –not then chief minister of India’s most populous states—had attacked Shah Rukh Khan, compared Shah Rukh Khan with the notorious terrorist Hafiz Saeed and threatened that he should go off to Pakistan. The context of the diatribe was after the actor added his voice to the protest by the intelligentsia against the ‘climate of intolerance’. These protests by artists and film makers began after the murderous lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh on September 28, 2015.
At that point, member of parliament (MP) from Gorakhpur, Adityanath had said that Shah Rukh should remember that if a “huge mass” of people in the country did boycott his films then he would also have to wander on streets like a “normal Muslim”. Other senior BJP leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya from West Bengal had also lashed out when he painted Shah Rukh as an “anti-nationalist” and said that the actor’s “soul” is in Pakistan though he lives in India.
Switch to 2022. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Reacting emotionally to the visual, a fan wrote in the comment section, “Even am feeling too emotional right now. May Allah keep him and his family very safe and protected.” “So happy to see him fulfilling his wish of visiting this holy place,” added another one. Many also dropped heart emojis for the actor.
Background
Shah Rukh Khan has more than his fair share of Hindutva detractors; last year, 2021, when his son was falsely targeted in a drugs related case, the hate mill was in action weeks before. A whole month before his son’s arrest and subsequent release on October 21, 2021, it was none less than the controversial gent of RSS-owned channel, Sudarshan News –Suhas Chavhanke–who made scandalizing statements against the super star, with no documentation or evidence. Again what was falsely alleged were his links or loyalties to our neighbour, Pakistan.
Yet, the super star continues to thrive on the adoration of India’s millions.
Related:
Suresh Chavhanke’s communal campaign now targets SRK!
Cordelia Cruise drugs case: Bombay HC grants bail to Aryan Khan