Naseeruddin Shah želi oslabiti demokraciju u zemlji: BJP

Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has accused the Bharatiya Janatra Party of seeking revenge against individuals who oppose its policies, prompting sharp backlash from party leaders in West Bengal. The dispute centers on an indefinite sit-in staged by students at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata. Shah released a video message urging citizens to back the students, whom he described as aspiring filmmakers targeted for demanding administrative accountability. He alleged that the students faced show-cause notices, surveillance, threats, and orders to vacate their hostels. BJP Rajya Sabha member Rahul Sinha responded by questioning Shah’s motives, suggesting the actor aimed to weaken democracy in the country. Sinha called for a full investigation into the veteran’s comments, alleging potential links to an international conspiracy. He noted that Shah had emerged from a long period of inactivity to issue political statements against the party. State-level BJP MLA Ritesh Tewari attacked Shah’s personal connections, claiming the actor opposed the BJP and the Sangh by lineage. Tewari stated that Shah’s daughter is married in Kolkata to the son of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader who has contested elections. Tewari further asked why Shah remained silent when West Bengal ministers and the Kolkata mayor raised the slogan of Dawat-e-Islam. He characterized the actors as dancing to the tune of foreign money while domestic observers watch. The underlying conflict began after a clash occurred on the SRFTI campus on October 4, 2026, involving a right-wing organization and a group of students. Earlier reports cited the initial incident date as September 27, 2026. Following the violence, six students were rusticated on October 15, 2026, for allegedly vandalizing the Vice-Chancellor’s office and physically assaulting him. On October 25, 2026, a section of protesting students claimed that power supply to their sole classroom, used for internet and workstations, was cut off. They accused the administration of intensifying pressure to end the agitation. SRFTI Registrar Deepak Kumar issued a statement on October 25, clarifying that disciplinary actions were based on specific acts of misconduct, vandalism, defacement, and physical assault. He denied that the penalties were related to the students' right to protest, stating that linking the actions to legitimate protest misrepresented the facts. The institute emphasized that the proceedings were grounded in documented violations rather than political expression. Filmmaker Payal Kapadia also voiced solidarity with the students, alleging that individuals affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh entered the campus and assaulted students, including women. She questioned the punitive measures taken against those seeking accountability. Shah’s video message framed the situation as part of a broader vendetta following the BJP-led government’s victory in the Bengal elections. He argued that the current administration targets anyone who does not subscribe to its beliefs. The exchange highlights a deepening rift between cultural figures supporting the student movement and regional political leaders defending the institutional response. The students continue their sit-in, while the administration maintains that order and discipline require strict enforcement of rules regarding property damage and physical safety. No immediate resolution to the standoff has been announced.