In last speech as Rajya Sabha member, Javed Akhtar guns for Asaduddin Owaisi

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Poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar was on a song on Tuesday when he turned a staid, sedate farewell speech to colleagues in Rajya Sabha to a withering criticism of those who feel 'ashamed' of saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. With apparently Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi in his crosshairs, he asked the "mohalla leader from Hyderabad" if the argument against shouting the slogan is that the Constitution does not stipulate it, the same can be applied to the sherwani. "Does Constitution stipulate that one should wear sherwani?" he asked.

Reciting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' a few times, Akhtar condemned Owaisi as well as ' Musalman Ke Do Sthaan: Kabristan ya Pakistan' - the other slogan he said is often raised frequently in few Indian cities.

Akhtar asked should India become like countries where people are hanged in the name of religion or should we become a nation where a movie like the 'Last Temptation of Christ' can be made?

Usually, farewell speeches are rather inoffensive. But Akhtar was in a mood to upend customs as the Upper House bid an emotional farewell to 17 members who retired. Almost stealing the show, the lyricist during his eloquent 15-minute speech argued how "democracy is not possible without secularism".

Akhtar said protecting secularism is not about protecting one community or the other. "We need to protect secularism because there cannot be democracy without it. I believe this is our greatest achievement." On religious freedom, he said, "These days, they call fringe, it is growing day by day. This is not required."


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...or-Asadduddin-Owaisi/articleshow/51418998.cms

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[prasad1]

Democracy and secularism, constitution and youth power, these are the advantages India enjoys and they should not be frittered away, noted poet and writer Javed Akhtar has said in a farewell speech to Parliament that drew huge applause cutting across political boundaries.

In a nuanced response to the ongoing debate on intolerance, Mr Akhtar asked if societies that think "anything against their religion or faith is punishable by hanging" be an example to us, or the ones in that have "every kind of freedom, where even the (a movie like) The Last Temptation of Christ can be made".

At the same time, he took on All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi over his recent refusal to say "Bharat Mata ki Jai", which has generated a huge controversy.

Without naming Mr Owaisi, Mr Akhtar said, "There is one man who thinks that he is a national leader, but in reality he is only a leader in an area in the city of Hyderabad, in one of India's states."

The leader, Mr Akhtar said, claims he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai because it is not demanded in the Constitution. "The Constitution also does not ask him to wear a sherwani and a cap... I condemn his statements on all fronts," said Mr Akhtar, a nominated member of Rajya Sabha who will be retiring later this year.

Chanting "Bharat mata ki jai" multiple times, Mr Akhtar said it was his "right" to do so.

Expressing support for the government, he said, "Some of my friends may be disappointed in me, but I believe from my heart that this government has very capable people."

But in what appeared to be a veiled criticism for the government's claims of economic development, he said, "Development is not the GDP development, but development is the Human Development Index."

The government and the opposition both should realise that "only work will take us forward and not adjournments and polarisation," he said. "To the kind of India, where everyone has clothes, shelter, hospital, treatments etc... only if you stop worrying about the next election."
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/democracy-never-possible-without-secularism-javed-akhtar-1287556