Om Puri backs Pakistani actors, lashes out at Indian soldier

MUMBAI (92 News) – Veteran actor Om Puri has come out in support of Pakistani actors, saying art and politics should be kept separate and banning the artistes will not change the situation. The actor said Pakistani artistes are not working illegally in the country and if they are sent back, Indian producers, who have signed them for their films, will suffer heavy losses. "When the government is taking action, we all should stay quiet. It hardly matters if we send back the artists from Pakistan, who are working here, or let them stay. I have been to Pakistan six times and have met people from all strata," he added. During the show, talking about Indian soldiers, he said, “Who had asked the soldiers to join the army? Who told them to pick the weapons?” But he didn’t stop at that. He went on to say, “Do you want India-Pakistan enmity to turn like Israel and Palestine, and fight for ages? India is home to hundreds of thousands of Muslims, there is no point in proving them for war. Several Indians have their relatives staying across the border and vice-versa, how can they fight a war with their cross-border families”. The remark comes amid growing protests to ban Pakistani artistes and sportspersons. Bollywood celebrities including filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Suresh Oberoi, expressed anguish over MNS' threat to Pakistani artists to leave India, saying a ban is not a solution to terrorism. Earlier, renowned Bollywood actor Salman Khkan said that artists are not terrorists as they come to the country with a valid visa granted by the government. He always drew criticism from several quarters with few asking him to go live in Pakistan for the remark.