So if Peshawar-born Yusuf Khan braved all odds and opted for India after partition even in those days of suspicion, how can Delhi-born Shah Rukh go and make film in Pakistan, when he had a big fan and the situation not as hostile now? wonders SOROOR AHMED
They both have their origin in Maharashtra. There are many things common between them. Yet, of late, they have developed some cosmetic differences over approach.
Shiv Sena and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are generally considered to be two sides of the same coin. The former is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance. The BJP, the political outfit of the RSS, is the biggest party of that Alliance. They both shared power in the state between 1994 and 1999 and there was absolute understanding between them. They were best friends when in power at the Centre between 1998 and 2004.
Shiv Sena and RSS are, however, distinct in at least one way. While for the former the expression Maha-rashtra stands for Marathi sub-nationalism, the latter champions the cause of super-nationalism––‘Maha-rashtra’ of a different kind. While the Shiv Sena and its breakaway group, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, are essentially Mumbai-based outfits, the headquarters of the latter is situated in Nagpur.
Till Shiv Sena was targeting Muslims, Communists, Socialists, etc., there was complete understanding with the RSS or the BJP. No protest, no criticism, nothing. But when the Senas went overboard and started attacking Biharis, UP-wallahs or any outsiders the RSS became uncomfortable. The Senas did not stop there. When they singled out Sachin Tendulkar (though a Maharashtrian), Mukesh Ambani (from Gujarat), Amitabh Bachchan (from Uttar Pradesh) etc. it started hurting the super-nationalists – the RSS. Remaining silent now would be disastrous, therefore, the Sangh apparently took up the cudgel for the outsiders.
But once again there are double-standards. The RSS and the BJP did not condemn Sena for asking film-star Shah Rukh Khan to go to Pakistan if he wants Pakistani players to play in the Indian Premier League. If a non-Maharashtrian is harassed and asked to leave Maharashtra and go back to their respective states, the RSS would certainly take up their cause; but not, when a film-actor with Muslim-sounding name is threatened. What is curious is that Shah Rukh has not been told by the Senas to go back to his place of birth, Delhi, but to Pakistan. This notwithstanding the fact that he has not said anything anti-national. This is the classic example of ‘super-nationalism’, almost bordering fascism. Herein lies the commonality of interest between the Senas and the Sangh.
What the Senas and the Sangh forget is that there are many such Khans – and of course Ansaris, Syeds, Sheikhs and others – who have consciously opted for India though, unlike Bal, Uddhav and Raj, or the Sangh Parivar bigwigs, they were born in the place which is now called Pakistan. And one of them is none else, but a Peshawari, Yusuf Khan, who had to work under the pseudonym of Dilip Kumar, because in the post-Independence era it was not possible for the Muslim actors and actresses to work with Muslim names.
Dilip Kumar, yes the same Yusuf Khan, was suspected as a Pakistani agent and even harassed by the intelligence apparatus for several years. Once in early 1960s Dilip Kumar became so fed up by this non-stop witch-hunting at the hands of the intelligence that he personally approached the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who failed to come to his rescue.
Even in that testing time the earlier Khan decided to stay in India, worked for Indian films and showed his complete loyalty to this country. It is another thing that super-nationalists were up in the arms when he got the highest civilian award of Pakistan for his contribution to the world of film during the reign of General Zia-ul-Haque.
There is no problem in receiving civilian awards from any other country. Even we gave Padma awards to American hotelier, Sant Singh Chatwal, Editor of Newsweek International, Fareed Zakaria, and Nobel Prize winner, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan this year, though they are citizens of the United States. None of them has any problem in receiving the award.
So if Peshawar-born Yusuf Khan braved all odds and opted for India after partition even in those days of suspicion, how can Delhi-born Shah Rukh go and make film in Pakistan, when he had a big fan and the situation not as hostile now?