New Delhi: Calling the people who speak of intolerance in the country as ‘pseudo secular’ Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secretary Shrikant Sharma on Wednesday said their silence on Anupam Kher visa denial issue by Pakistan was shameful.
“When any Pakistani artist comes to India, and few people protest against it, then the army of pseudo-secular people of India yell at the top of their voices even when these artists face no such problem here. So, today, their silence on Pakistan’s denial of visa to Anupam Kher is shameful,” he told ANI.
“These people also have dual standards. At one side, at the gesture of Congress they pretend of intolerance and try to disgrace their own government in the world. And on the other hand, when our Anupam Kher ji is denied visa, these pseudo-secular people are hiding and are not saying anything about it. This is shameful,” he added.
Sharma further accused the Pakistan Government of indulging in discriminatory behaviour.
“It is a discriminatory behaviour by the Pakistani government. They are giving visa to 17 people and are not giving visa to a great artist of the Indian film industry Anupam Kher. At what level has there been a loophole, it is for the Pakistan Government to see. Because when Pakistani artists come to India, they are provided visa without any hurdles. Then why are our artists being denied visa,” he said.
Pakistan denied visa to Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who had been invited to the Karachi literature festival. The actor and BJP supporter claimed that out of 18 delegates, he was the only one to be denied a visa.
The Pakistan High Commission said the actor had not even applied for the visa and asked him to reveal the receipt if he had one.
