Strongly criticising the present leadership in BJP, noted lyricist Javed Akhtar here on Thursday claimed that in utter desperation, the BJP leaders have unmasked themselves completely.
Talking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Akhtar replied to a query on Pragya Bharti’s candidature from Bhopal slamming BJP’s choice and said they have apparently unmasked themselves saying they are out in open claiming look we are what we are.
“They are desperate this time and don’t have time for the mask,” said Akhtar hinting at Thakur’s hardliner approach. This has also exposed PM Narendra Modi, who in the recent past, had turned into a statesman avoiding communal takes. If they were hopeful of win, they wouldn’t have offered ticket to Pragya Thakur, claimed Akhtar.
By fielding Pragya Thakur, the BJP has insulted the culture, thinking and intellect of the local residents, said Akhtar, adding that 2019 polls are the most important elections in the history of independent India. “We are standing on a two-way path and either way chosen, would take us a long way forward. It’s a defining poll which would ascertain what path the country would move forward on,” he added.
To a query whether he dislikes BJP or PM Modi, Akhtar candidly claimed he did not like Modi and his close associate (Amit Shah). Regarding the anti-national debate, he claimed if you donot support Modi, then you are dubbed an enemy and anti-national. “Modiji is not the country and a mere leader, who comes and goes but the country remains,” he added.
He ridiculed film star Akshay Kumar by saying ‘Oh, you are talking about the guy from Canada’ when asked about his interview with PM Modi.