Pahalgam Attack Was On Country, Not Government: Javed Akhtar On Op Sindoor Delegations

New Delhi:

Members of the opposition being part of the outreach delegations to various countries following Operation Sindoor is a welcome step because the Pahalgam terror attack was not carried out on the government, but India as a whole, noted lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar has said. 

In an over 30-minute discussion at NDTV’s Creators’ Manch on Friday, Mr Akhtar also spoke about where the real power centre in Pakistan lies and the row over the casting of Pakistani actor Hania Amir in Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Sardaar Ji 3’.

Asked if including leaders like the Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the outreach delegations was a calculated move by the government, the lyricist said in Hindi, “The Pahalgam terror attack was not on the government, it was an attack on the country. So everyone in the country will go. Among the people (who were part of the delegations) are some who keep attacking the government. But when it comes to the country, we are all one… the other issues are internal ones and we will keep talking about them internally,” the lyricist said. 

Mr Akhtar said Mr Tharoor is very articulate and he was happy the Congress leader led one of the delegations, because he has diplomatic experience at the United Nations. “This is an issue that concerns the country, and that’s when everyone is one. That is how it should be. This is not about a political party,” he said.

On the relationship between India and Pakistan, Mr Akhtar said it feels like this is the worst phase because it is a fresh wound, but pointed out that the 1965 war and the Kargil war had also happened.