Wrong to criticise Aamir for intolerance remarks: Ashutosh Rana

Actor Ashutosh Rana on Saturday said it was wrong to criticise Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan for his remarks on the rising intolerance in the country.

He, at a session at Agenda Aaj Tak here, said it was important to discuss the reason behind Aamir's remarks rather than creating a furore over it.

"If someone gives a statement on intolerance, we should discuss it rather than the person who made the statement," Ashutosh said, adding one should not make personal attacks and criticise the man's achievements for voicing his concern in public.

Aamir has done shows like 'Satyamev Jayate'. We live in a vibrant country and it's important to understand why a person like Aamir said something like that.

At an award function here in November, Aamir said that India was going through a state of "growing despondency", where his wife Kiran Rao "fears for her child, she fears for the atmosphere around us, she feels scared to open the newspapers every day".

Ashutosh, best known for his negative roles in films like "Dushman" and "Sangarsh", said it was not possible to discuss vital issues, such as intolerance, on social media platforms.

"Whether there is intolerance in the country or not cannot be answered in 140 characters," Ashutosh said.

Ashutosh also extended his support to the artists who have returned their awards as a mark of protest against growing intolerance. He said it was "wrong to politicise the issue".

"Did people who return their awards indulge in any kind of violence? People who returned their awards did not resort to any kind of violence. They did not do any riots, burn any trains, organise any kind of rallies or bandhs.

"Mahatma Gandhi too began civil disobedience. Award Wapasi is not a wrong way to protest. If we will take any event as a politically-motivated one, we will digress from the correct path," he said.