Shaheer Ahmed
Even though Faiz Festival in Lahore has concluded, the discussion continues on social media and a video of India’s famed musician and writer Javed Akhtar has gone viral in Pakistan and India. Javed Akhtar should discuss literature, not politics especially when you are visiting your nemesis country.
It should be noted that Javed Akhtar attended the Faiz Festival in Lahore, Pakistan, at the end of last week, and this tape is based on his talk there.
After a five-year hiatus, Javed Akhtar returned to this event.
Muneeza Hashmi, the daughter of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, headed the Faiz Foundation Trust and was the event’s primary organiser.
What Javed Akhtar actually said
‘I will not mince my words here,’ Javed Akhtar declares in the viral video. We’ve done huge Nusrat (Fath Ali Khan) events, big Mehdi Hasan functions, but no Lata Mangeshkar functions in your country.”
He received a lot of applause from the crowd for this, but he also remarks, “The reality is, let’s not blame one other; it doesn’t fix the situation.” The aim is that the current heated atmosphere (atmosphere between the two countries) should be reduced.
‘We are Bombay people, we watched how our city was assaulted, those individuals did not come from Norway, nor did they come from Egypt,’ Javed Akhtar continues. Such individuals are still present in your country. Hence, if this is a complaint held by Indians, you should not be offended.
A lady attending the session questioned Javed Akhtar you had visited Pakistan many times and you have observed that Pakistan is a very kind, positive thinking and loving nation but his impression in India is not that good. Why is this the case?
“When you come here, do you tell us that they are extremely lovely people, that they don’t bomb everything, that they give us flowers, and that they love us? Do you want to go and tell or not because we want pleasant circumstances in this area, let us love and be friends?”
On this Javed Akhtar said, “there is a lot of truth in what you are saying. And it is extremely unfortunate that despite the fact that Lahore and Amritsar are just 30 kilometres apart, the people of these two cities and nations are completely unaware of one other. Please don’t assume you know all there is to know about India and don’t think I know everything there is to know about Pakistan. This stupidity is on both sides.”
Also Read: Ali Zafar pays tribute to Javed Akhtar at Faiz Mela
Reaction on social media: ‘Javed Akhtar’s sit-down surgical strike in Pakistan’
Javed Akhtar’s comments spread like wildfire, from social media to television screens in both Pakistan and India.
Most people in India are labelling Javed Akhtar’s comments as a “surgical attack by sitting in Pakistan,” while many users believe that this platform should not be utilised for such a discussion.
Kangana Ranaut, a Bollywood actress, lauded Javed Akhtar, writing, ‘When I listen to Javed Sahib’s poems, I used to believe Maa Savitriji’s Karpa is on him. I broke into the home with Jaihind Javed Sahib (you) and thrashed him.
‘This time, Javed Akhtar has captivated the hearts of all Indians,’ wrote Ashish Sood.
‘This is the third surgical strike, that too in Pakistan, from the Pakistani stage, and among the Pakistani people,’ he added.
Although many sections of India have welcomed Javed Akhtar’s comments, there has been a mixed response in Pakistan.
Pakistani actor Shaan Shahid tweeted that he knows the murderer of Muslims in Gujarat but has remained quiet and that he is now seeking for the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks in Pakistan.
Shaan Shahid inquired as to who provided him with the visa.
Take a look at the tweets that twitteratis have posted.
Javed Akhtar & his wife Shabana Azmi can't buy a flat in Mumbai because of being Muslim. Imagine what goes on with ordinary Muslims.
He wants you to believe that India is secular country & Pakistan is housing terrorist. Dumb lahori elite can believe him, not people with a brain. pic.twitter.com/dtWS63AnwY
— OSINT Insider (@OSINT_Insider) February 22, 2023
Lmao what sort of inferiority complex is this? Did Javed Akhtar invent Urdu or something? Why is Adeel Hashmi acting like he'll sAcRiFice hIs oWn LiFe for Javed? The level of pretense surrounding this so-called Urdu mehfil is too high! https://t.co/7pWAHnIl9Y
— Ifrah Maskan | افراح مسکان (@ifrahmaskan) February 21, 2023
Javed Akhar is an affected Indian Muslim trying hard to be more Indian and less Muslim.
I respect the ethic. I respect the writing. But the man needs a plan.
This was us, 15 years ago, when I was on assignment in India.
This was sad and embarrassinghttps://t.co/jP6WJBN0b6
— Wajahat S. Khan (@WajSKhan) February 21, 2023
1) When it was reported that Rohingya terrorists killed over 100 Hindus in Myanmar, Javed Akhtar defended Rohingyas & blamed Myanmar Army. This was his propaganda.
Later, it was confirmed that Rohingya terrorists in Myanmar killed Hindus & forced Hindu women to convert religion. pic.twitter.com/WgaQuuGe0R
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) February 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/lollywoodspace/status/1628446349376073728
What’s your take on this? Let us know.
Personally, we think the guests should be focused on positive things. There is no need to indulge in politics which is useless and we know what results it yields. So, on his next visit, Javed Akhtar should discuss literature not politics and we would love to hear his poetry first-hand.
