Union Minister V K Singh on Saturday admonished media asking them to go and beat up Bollywood director Karan Johar instead of chasing him for reaction on his intolerance comments.
According to a PTI report, Gen Singh reportedly said this while being repeatedly asked to react to Johar’s comments.
News agency ANI (video below) reported, “jao uski pitaayi karo, mujhse kyon poocchte ho (Why asking me? Go and beat him up).”
https://youtu.be/4KWDgSEjCuI
He also described the return of the awards by the writers citing growing intolerance as a planned conspiracy.
His statement came on a day actor Kajol too joined the intolerance debate saying the there India had become insensitive. Her comments had followed Bollywood director Karan Johar’s criticism for lack of free speech in India.
PTI quoted Singh as saying that Karan Johar’s comment at the Jaipur Literary Festival on democracy and freedom of expression was to garner publicity and remain in news, and “it should not be given weightage.”
“It all was planned as all those, who returned honours, had got them during UPA rule,” he argued when asked about ‘award wapsi’.
Singh has been embroiled in several controversies through his perceived loose comments. In April 2015, he had called presstitutes implying they had sold off their integrity.
Last year, he drew flak from all and sundry while likening the burning of two Dalit children in Haryana with dogs.