Union minister Prakash Javadekar today termed senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya's comment on Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan as "unacceptable" and said only those authorised to speak should do so.
Javadekar also termed Bharat Ratna CNR Rao's remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should meet writers and scientists as "good suggestion", and said that the Prime Minister always does things in "an appropriate manner at the appropriate time".
Commenting about Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's comment that those who are giving away awards were "rabid anti-BJP elements", Javadekar said that he is a senior leader with "wonderful articulation" and when he speaks it means something, while terming the intellectuals as the "conscience keeper of the nation".
"It is unacceptable," Javadekar told Karan Thapar in an interview on 'To the Point' on India Today TV when asked about Vijayvargiya's remarks where he said Shah Rukh Khan's "soul" is in Pakistan though he lives in India and said he was an "anti-nationalist".
When asked why he was not saying it was unforgivable, Javadekar said, "Words do not make things different. He (Vijayvargiya) is the general secretary and a minister in Madhya Pradesh government. The thing which is not correct I have said already. This is a trap, I do not want to enter into it," he said.
Asked if the BJP leader should continue to hold the posts, Javadekar said that one should ask the leader the question. "You ask him... We are not discussing Vijayvargiya. There were thousands of tweets appreciating Shah Rukh and giving other version. Media only does cherry picking and I do not want to fall into the trap. You ask him if he wants to apologise," he said.
Asked about Arun Jaitley's comment, he said, "Don't you grant a view to a leader. You have to see context. If you ask - Is the growing intolerance acceptable, any body will say no. You have to see how somebody has reacted on a manufactured question.
"Power of intellectual is so much that they are the conscience keeper of the nation. There are not only 500 restricted entries into intellectual domain. Many are silent and many have countered on those who have raised questions. Arun Jaitley is a senior leader with wonderful articulation. When he speaks, it means there is something," he said.
