After apologising for tweeting "Jaish-e-Mohammed is not Pakistan," actor Jaaved Jaaferi told news agency IANS that having a 'different opinion doesn't make him anti-national.' Jaish-e-Mohammed is the terrorist group behind the recent Pulwama attack in India, in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber. Screenshots of Jaaved Jaaferi's now deleted tweet, for which the actor said he "didn't mean it the way it was interpreted," was circulated on social media with vile comments. On Tuesday, speaking to IANS, Jaaved Jaaferi said: "If my opinion is not similar to that of the popular voice, then calling it anti-national is wrong, and that is certainly not the way the world's largest democracy can function. Of course, these people who try to impose their opinion on others and suppress the choice of diverse opinion, are minuscule in number, but unfortunately, they are the noisemakers."
Here's the apology Jaaved Jaaferi posted after his aforementioned tweet went viral:
My heartfelt apologies to my friends, followers and fellow Indians who got upset over a tweet of mine. I didn't mean it the way it was interpreted. It was a wrong choice of words. Please read my earlier tweets on my timeline condemning the terrorists and Pakistan before judging. pic.twitter.com/re85300R9t
— Jaaved Jaaferi (@jaavedjaaferi) February 17, 2019
In addition, Jaaved Jaaferi also tweeted: "I am an Indian and a Muslim. My faith demands I love and respect my country and if required give my life for it. An enemy to my country is an enemy to me. Whether it be Jaish-e-Mohammed, Pakistan or any other country. Jai Hind!"
I am an indian and a Muslim. My faith demands I love and respect my country and if required give my life for it. An enemy to my country is an enemy to me. Whether it be Jaish e Mohammed Pakistan or any other country. Jai Hind !
— Jaaved Jaaferi (@jaavedjaaferi) February 16, 2019
On February 14, Jaaved Jaaferi joined Bollywood celebrities in condemning the Pulwama attack on social media.
When asked, if he is scared of expressing his opinion freely, Jaaved Jaaferi told IANS: "That's what they want us to do... They want to suppress our voice if it does not match their noise. But I will not do that. I believe in a true democracy. Everyone's voice should be heard. A difference of opinion should co-exist and there should not be any discrimination on any level."
Jaaved Jaaferi will be next seen on the big screen in Total Dhamaal, which won't release in Pakistan after film bodies requested filmmakers to not to release their movies there in the wake of the Pulwama attack.
Jaaved Jaaferi will also be seen in the upcoming web-series The Final Call, co-starring Arjun Rampal.
(With inputs from IANS)
