Celebrated Indian writer and poet Javed Akhtar hit out at Pakistan, suggesting that the country should not blame India for being angry and bitter, as 26/11 terrorists are still "roaming free" in their nation.
For the unversed, around 10 members of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba* carried out a series of terror attacks across Mumbai that lasted for four days and caused the death of 175 people, including nine attackers, and left more than 300 wounded.
On Tuesday, footage of Akhtar interacting with fans went viral on social media. In the video, someone in the audience was heard asking the poet, "You have visited Pakistan so many times. When you go back do you tell your people that these are good people, they aren't just bombing us but also greeting us with garlands and love?"
Akhtar, who is known for not mincing words, gave a blunt reply in Hindi, saying that India witnessed the horrifying Mumbai terrorist attack on November 26, 2008 by terrorists who came from Pakistan, however, the culprits are allowed to walk freely in their country.
"We are people from Mumbai, we have seen the attack on our city. They (attackers) did not come from Norway or Egypt. They are still roaming free in your country. So, if there is anger in the Hindustani's heart, you can't complain," Akhtar said in reply to the audience's question.
Akhtar also stressed that instead of blaming each other, Indians and Pakistanis should make efforts to ease the tense atmosphere between the two countries.
Akhtar also expressed disappointment that Pakistan has not welcomed Indian artists the way India welcomes Pakistani ones.
He shared that India keeps celebrating legendary Pakistani artistes like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehdi Hasan and their works by holding festivals and events in their memory, but Pakistan has never organized something like that in memory of late Indian legends like Lata Mangeshkar, who was called the Nightingale of India.
Several netizens have taken to social media to react to Akhtar's remarks.
Netizens react to viral video of veteran Indian writer-poet Javed Akhtar's remark on defusing tension between India and Pakistan.
© Photo : Twitter/@satyanas
*A terrorist organization banned in Russia and several other countries