Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the Dangal girl, Zaira Wasim, should not be forced to apologise.
“A 16 year old shouldn’t be forced to apologise & that too allegedly for meeting @MehboobaMufti. What are we coming to!!!!!,” he tweeted.
“I’ve a problem with @MehboobaMufti trying to usurp other peoples success to cover up her own failures but why punish/troll people she meets?,” he added.
A 16 year old shouldn't be forced to apologise & that too allegedly for meeting @MehboobaMufti. What are we coming to!!!!! https://t.co/MFz3ZKykV1
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 16, 2017
I've a problem with @MehboobaMufti trying to userp other peoples success to cover up her own failures but why punish/troll people she meets?
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 16, 2017
The Zaira issue also figured in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly when a BJP member claimed that the actor had received death threats.
“I have come to know from reliable people that the young girl of our state Zahira Wasim who played a beautiful role in Dangal movie and had recently met the state chief minister has received death threats” Ravinder Raina told the house while raising a “point of information” when the House was discussing the budget,
Winding up the discussion on motion of thanks on governor’s address to Joint houses of Legislature, Mehbooba also referred to Zaira’s “excellent role” in “Dangal”, and said, “our children are showing excellence in the fields of sports and others but unfortunately they don’t get the due opportunity and appreciation”.
Zaira Wasim, who shot to fame with her character of Geeta Phogat in Aamir Khan’s blockbuster, Dangal, had issued a public apology with no one sure as to why she took this extraordinary step.
She posted a detailed apology on all her social media pages even though it was removed from her Facebook page little later.
Her apology read, “This is an open confession/apology. I know that many people have been offended and displeased by my recent actions or by the people I have recently met.
I want to apologise to all those people who I’ve unintentionally hurt and I want them to know that I understand their sentiments behind it especially considering that what had happened over the past 6 months but I hope people can also understand there are certain circumstances that emerge which one cannot control and I hope people still remember that I’m a just a 16 year old girl and I hope you treat me accordingly. I’m sorry for what I did but it was not a deliberate decision and I really hope people can forgive me.
There are few more things which are very important and I want to clear them as well. The first and foremost thing is that I am being projected as a role model for Kashmiri Youth. I want to make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my footsteps or even consider me as a role model. I’m not proud of what I’m doing and I want everyone, especially the Youth to know that there are real role models out there whether they be in this time or in our history.
To even consider me as a role model would be disgracing them and their disgrace would be OUR DISGRACE! I do not wish to start an argument here, this was a just a mere confession from my end which I really wanted people to know. May Allah bless us and guide us.”
She, however, removed her apology from all her social media pages later.
While some felt that Zaira was forced to issue an apology because of the criticism she received after meeting Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, others suspected the action may have been taken due to threats from militants, who allegedly didn’t like her acting in Bollywood.
She, however, received plenty of support from social media users. They also included the known members of Hindutva brigade, who jumped the bandwagon to score a point with their ‘I-told-you-so’ tweets. Some of them, who extended their support to Zaira are known for their bigotry against Muslims.
Here are some examples;
Dear @zairawasim! Ur apology letter is sad but full of courage. It exposes d cowardice of people who made u write it.But u r my #RoleModel. pic.twitter.com/fCF2zlzvzC
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) January 16, 2017
The youths of #Kashmir should come out on the streets & and announce that we don't want to be stone throwers but achievers like @zairawasim
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) January 16, 2017
Irony kills itself when Ashok Pandit, the woman abuser in SM is brought in to defend Zaira Wasim's apology. #Dangal
— Whirling Dervesh (شاہین نقشبندی) (@WhirlingDervesh) January 16, 2017
Zaira Wasim you have nothing to apologise for…(If this stuff is true & her a/c isn't hacked I'd say pls keep her out of politics) ??? pic.twitter.com/FlVakMf1JP
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) January 16, 2017
J&K Govt. & other actors must stop using success stories like @zairawasim for their propaganda narratives & psy-ops. Let her live her dream
— Gowhar Geelani (@GowharGeelani) January 16, 2017
Can we not celebrate Zaira Wasim instead of trolling her and bullying her. Its not often that we have feel good news coming out of J n K
— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) January 16, 2017
#ZairaWasim you don't owe it to anyone. You have made all of us proud by your sheer talent & hard work. You need not to be apologetic. Bravo pic.twitter.com/QiMgTblFkq
— Mubassir Latifi مبصر لطیفی (@Mubassir_Latifi) January 16, 2017