What happens if you are a Kashmiri Pandit and if you are a nationalist supporting the ruling party of India? The answer is that you will be denied the Pakistani visa!! Confused about what’s happening, read this.
Actor Anupam Kher had to cancel his visit to Pakistan for participating in the Karachi literary festival. This is starting on the 5 of February. But the Pakistan government denied him a visa. Anupam and 17 other Indians were invited to the festival which would go for 4 days but now with the visa being denied his visit stays a halt. The other 17 Indian participants have been issued visas. Anupam Kher is a prominent actor in the film industry and has many fans in Pakistan too.
We can recollect that he has just been honoured with a Padma Bhushan by the government of India. Kher confirmed that he was denied the visa, and he said his visit would have helped in reducing the cultural and emotional barrier between the two nations, he also said,“We welcome their artistes in India. If there are objections to their performance at one place in India they are welcome at other places. But there is no reciprocity,”
When asked about the reason behind his visa denial he said, “I wish I knew. I am wondering if it is because I am a Kashmiri Pandit or because of my views on the tolerance debate in India.”
The organisers of the festival are apparently embarrassed and have apologised to Mr.Kher on this regard. This unacceptable move from Pakistan has now left the question marks on the future of Indo -Pak bilateral relationships. As expected, the intolerance brigade has not only been mum on this matter but instead have alleged that Anupam Kher did not apply for the visa in the first place.
Here are the series of tweets from the actor,
Leave a Comment