Fatwa against Nahid Afrin: Shiv Sena questions Bollywood's unusual silence

Lauding the courage and patience of Assamese singer Nahid Afrin against whom a fatwa has been issued by several Muslim clerics banning her from performing in any public entertainment event, the Shiv Sena on Friday launched a scathing attack on Bollywood celebrities for maintaining silence on this issue.

Shiv Sena in its editorial mouth piece Saamana lambasted the film fraternity for not backing the 16-year-old singer.

"Shiv Sena and other nationalists are standing in support of Afrin, but we are shocked on the silence of few people who on other occasions are quite vocal about freedom of expression and intolerance. In this long list of people, the Bollywood celebrities comes the first, so why are they silent and not saying anything on the injustice that is being done with the 16-year old girl," said the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana.

Citing the example of the 'Padmavati row' which infuriated the film Industry, the editorial further asserted that the celebrities who even rushed to the Parliament in support of film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali are keeping mum in Afrin's case.

"People even compared our ban on Pakistani artists from working in India with an act of terrorism, the same people didn't even condemned the fatwa issued against Afrin by some Muslim clerics. People like Mahesh Bhatt, Jaya Bachchan should have praised her for courage. Aamir Khan's wife who said that she no more feels safe living in India, but when it came to Afrin very one is quite," the editorial added.

It further stated that the Shiv Sena completely supports Afrin as for the party it is not just any another political issue but an attempt to serve the nation and the society.