Taken aback by Anupam Kher's mudslinging post open letter: J-K Congress leader

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A leader of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress Party said Monday that he recently sent an open letter to veteran actor Anupam Kher that was apparently critical of him to stop him from making negative remarks about intolerance and was taken aback when he indulged in vitriol and mudslinging.

In his statement issued to the media, Salman Nizami, said, "I was upset with Anupam Kher's negative remarks on intolerance and for a particular community and using the other for his personal gains."

"We, in a sensitive state like Jammu and Kashmir, have a syncretic culture and have to tread carefully to maintain harmony. As an ordinary citizen of India, I expressed my hurt in an open letter to Kher - which was an effort at intellectual engagement - but was taken aback by his vitriol and

mud-slinging," he added.

"Have we reached such a pass that any disagreement will be answered in this bigoted manner? Kher could have chosen to reply in a civilized manner, chosen not to respond or simply 'tolerated' my letter. Instead, he resorted to slandering, egging on his followers, who trolled me for days on the end," Nizami further stated.

He asked, "Does it behove a 'Padma' winner and a popular actor to act like a bigot and hurl random abuse at anyone who critiques the merits and demerits of his award? Is he above criticism? .

"Kher's rants and subsequent undignified tweets proves my open letter to him was right," Nizami concluded in his statement.