AGRA: Right-wing group Hindu Jagran Manch has announced it won’t let Aamir Khan’s films run in Agra theatres and will pitch for a statewide ban on the star’s movies in Uttar Pradesh. The group’s leaders claimed that they’ll also run “awareness” campaign in the state, asking viewers to boycott Aamir and SRK movies.
The activists staged a demonstration in the city on Wednesday protesting against Aamir Khan’s “intolerance” remark and burnt his effigy. They also performed a mock funeral of the actor.
The outfit’s state spokesperson Vivek Shukla said his group, to start with, won’t allow Aamir’s films to run in Agra theatres. “We have our supporters in all districts of UP. We will run ‘awareness’ campaigns among viewers asking them to boycott films of Muslim actors, especially Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan. We will not let their movies run in Agra theaters at any cost,” Shukla added.
Hindu Jagran Manch district president Jeetendra Pratap said Khan’s remark was akin to treason and added that the actor was welcome to go to Pakistan if he felt so insecure in India. “We gave him so much love. We looked at his craft and not his religion. I will ensure no Aamir movie runs in Agra.”
Some of the Manch’s other leaders claimed that Indian audiences have supported Aamir’s and SRK’s movies so well that their films are in the Rs 100 crore club. They added that the very fact that the country is witnessing “a free debate, including expression of dissent, was proof of us being a tolerant society.”