A prominent BJP minister has called actors Shabana Azami, Naseeruddin Shah and lyricist Javed Akhtar as the sleeper cell of the tukde tukde gang. This was after Azmi broke down on camera while reacting to the release of 11 rapists and murderers in the Bilkis Bano case recently.
When asked about Azmi’s comments, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, “Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar and Naseeruddin Shah are sleeper cell of the tukde tukde gang. Did they speak about the murder of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur? Did they say anything when a girl was burnt alive in Jharkhand? They only speak when something happens in a BJP-ruled state.”
Gujarat’s BJP government had recently released 11 men, who were serving life sentences for murdering Bilkis Bano’s child and raping her during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Reacting to the release of Bilkis Bano’s rapists and murderers of her child and several other people, Azmi had told a TV channel that she was deeply ‘ashamed’ by the development as she tried to wipe her tears.
“I have no other words. This woman has had such a huge tragedy. And yet she didn’t lose courage. She fought all the way. She got these people convicted and, like her husband says, just when she’s about to bring her life together, this great travesty of justice happens…Shouldn’t we be shouting from the rooftops so that justice is done to this person? And the women who are feeling unsafe in this country, women who face the threat of rape every day – shouldn’t they get some sense of security?” Azmi had told NDTV.
Narottam Mishra is known for making controversial statements. He had threatened to take legal action against Bollywood personalities for hurting the religious sentiments in a song.
