"I am a living example of (Prime Minister) Modi 's tolerance .. he forgave me though I publicly attacked him," Smriti Irani said.
Tearing into actor Aamir Khan for his comments on perceived "intolerance", Union Minister Smriti Irani said on Tuesday that his criticism at a public event in the presence of a union minister proved that there is free speech in India. She also called herself the living example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tolerance.
"Aamir Khan is a brand ambassador for tourism in our country - Incredible India - and that what's incredible...that he can be a brand ambassador for our government and he can be on a platform in front of the Information and Broadcasting minister (Arun Jaitley) and speak his mind shows that free speech thrives," Ms Irani told NDTV.
The 39-year-old actor-turned-politician added: "I am a living example of Modi 's tolerance .. he forgave me though I publicly attacked him."
At an event yesterday, Aamir Khan spoke up on the "intolerance" debate and shared what he called his "growing disquiet over a number of incidents."
"When I chat with Kiran at home, she says, 'should we move out of India?' That's a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day. That does indicate that there is this sense of growing disquiet, there is growing despondency apart from alarm," said the 50-year-old actor in comments that have touched off a storm.
"I feel that we are tolerant enough to look away when man objectifies me as not a cabinet minister but as a woman, to look away when I can get booed for talking about my experiences as woman...The fact that people are speaking out is the very indication of thriving free speech in our country," Ms Irani added.
The minister said she believed Aamir Khan has a political inclination and "it is his right to have that."