Naseeruddin Shah claimed not to have received invitation from Mumbai University event at the last moment
Naseeruddin Shah said he was not invited to Mumbai University’s Jashn-e-Urdu event at the last minute and was later falsely accused of refusing to attend.
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has penned a sharply worded op-ed expressing his grief and anger after not being invited at the last minute from Mumbai University’s Jashn-e-Urdu event, which he said he was eagerly waiting for because of his long-standing passion to connect with the students.
I am writing Indian ExpressShah reflected on his four-decade-long association with teaching and mentoring aspiring actors and said that the university informed him late on January 31 that he was not required to attend the event scheduled for the next day. Admitting that he never praised what he described as a self-proclaimed “Vishwaguru”, Shah said his criticism was directed at the conduct of those in power and not at the country.
He wrote that he has been openly critical of the Prime Minister’s leadership style and sees increasing intolerance and abuse of power by the ruling dispensation over the past decade.
He said, “Of course, I have never praised the self-proclaimed ‘Vishwaguru’. In fact, I have been critical of his way of conducting himself. His narcissism hurts me and I have not been impressed by a single thing he has done in 10 years. I have often been and still am critical of many things done by the government in power. I have often lamented the lack of civic spirit and consideration for others in our country.”
According to Shah, no explanation or apology was sought. He further alleged that the university “added insult to injury” by later announcing to the audience that it had decided not to attend.
In the article, Shah suggested that the decision to invite him may be linked to his public criticism of the current political climate. He wrote that a senior university official had said that Shah “openly makes statements against the country”, a charge he strongly denied. Challenging the claim, Shah wrote that he challenged the officer to produce “a single statement” in which he might have demeaned India.
Shah listed a number of issues which he said still haunt him, including prolonged detention of student activists without trial, granting of bail to those convicted of serious crimes, the rise of cow vigilantes, changes in history textbooks and what he described as political rhetoric targeting minorities. Questioning how long such hostility can persist, Shah wrote that this is not the country he grew up in or was taught to love.
Drawing comparisons with George Orwell’s 1984, Shah warned of the rise of “thought police”, surveillance and a culture where dissent is considered treason. What was earlier “two minutes of hatred” has now turned into “24 hours of hatred”, he wrote, adding that not praising the “great leader” is increasing the risk of being labeled anti-national.
Naseeruddin Shah is an actor and writer and has often spoken publicly on issues of politics, culture and freedom of expression.
