With the furore over Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kailash Vijayvargiya's controversial comments for Shah Rukh Khan, the Congress on Wednesday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally render an apology to the king of Bollywood.
"I strongly condemn Kailash Vijavargiya's statement. Modi should personally apologise to Shah Rukh. Shah Rukh don't worry we stand by you," Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted.
Training his guns on Arun Jaitley, who had recently dismissed reports of intolerance in the nation, Singh asked the Finance Minister if Vijavargiya statement counted as 'tolerance or intolerance'.
"Kailash Vijavargiya National Gen Secy BJP-"Shah Rukh Khan is a Traitor" Do Modi and Amit Shah endorse his opinion? Would they act against him?," Singh added.
Vijayvargiya had earlier painted Khan as an 'anti-nationalist' and condemned him over his "extreme intolerance" comment, saying his "soul" was in Pakistan though he lives in India.
"Shah Rukh lives in India, but his soul is in Pakistan. His films make crores here but he thinks India to be intolerant," he said in a series of tweets amid mounting concerns over the "climate of intolerance" in the country.
"If this is not anti-nationalist, then what is it? India is making a bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations and all the anti-Indian forces including Pakistan are creating a conspiracy," he said.
Khan had openly stated that there was 'extreme intolerance' in the country, saying intolerance towards creativity and religion will hurt the country.
"There is intolerance, there is extreme intolerance... I think there is growing intolerance," he said.
