Award Wapsi

A BJP leader and minister in Madhya Pradesh today said "those abusing mother India and dividing the country" were honoured with national awards, in a bizarre attempt to criticize winners who have been returning their awards in support of the farmers protesting near Delhi.

A group of top sportspersons and coaches from Punjab have threatened to return all their medals and awards and lay siege to Delhi if the central government does not repeal its three controversial ordinances that have sparked a furore among the country's farmers.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said ''award wapsi'' gang has become active again to destabilise the Narendra Modi government after 49 eminent citizens wrote to the prime minister on lynchings and said that ''Jai Shri Ram'' has become a provocative war cry.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday called veteran actor Shabana Azmi the "new leader of 'tukde tukde' and 'award wapsi' gang", accusing her of subverting India's interests by criticising the government.

BJP chief Amit Shah today expressed confidence that the party will win the coming elections in Rajasthan, which has witnessed a string of attacks by cow vigilantes over more than a year. Pointing to the lynching in Dadri -- the first of many across the country --- he said the party won that time too.

Taking a dig at those who cried hoarse over 'intolerance' by returning their awards, actor Anupam Kher today said that it was aimed at Bihar elections and questioned the sudden halt of such a campaign.

"As a film fraternity we are a little leftist, we are always against the establishment. The artists have always protested. It has always been there but it is being discussed more," Anurag Basu said

Actor Aamir Khan today joined the debate on the growing 'intolerance' and said he has been "alarmed" by a number of incidents, and that his wife Kiran Rao even suggested that they should probably leave the country.

"I haven't returned any awards. Returning an award would not solve any problem. We should learn to address the issue (of intolerance) rather than getting it upon ourselves. It is not a personal issue, it is the issue of entire nation," Kareena Kapoor said at a press meet in Raipur

Armed forces veterans say they will today begin returning medals they have been awarded in service of the country, despite the government hurrying over the weekend to issue a notification on One Rank One Pension or OROP, their demand for many years.

"They keep asking why I didn't return my award. In that case, Mahatma Gandhi should've also returned his law degree to the British government because he was against it. But he didn't do so, did he?" said Kamal Haasan. "People should seriously consider using podiums to raise their voice," he added

When asked whether he was supporting Shah Rukh, Sonu tweeted: SRK is the most grounded and generous actor I have come across who speaks from his heart. Earlier, actor Anupam Kher had come out in SRK's support after BJP MP Yogi Adityanath likened him to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed following his comment on growing intolerance in India

Secularism in India is under threat like never before said noted writer Nayantara Sahgal who had recently returned her 'Sahitya Akademi' award in protest against mob lynching of man in Dadri over rumours that he had eaten cow meat.

"I haven't heard what he (Shah Rukh) has said. As far as I know him, I don't think that there would be any such thing in his mind. My stand is this thing (intolerance) is not something that's happening only in this government or in the previous government," said Anil Kapoor

Kundan Shah, the maker of the iconic film 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron', and Saeed Mirza, were among the 24 filmmakers who returned their National Awards today and added their voice to what has come to be known as the "Award Wapsi" protest against "rising intolerance".

A BJP leader and minister in Madhya Pradesh today said "those abusing mother India and dividing the country" were honoured with national awards, in a bizarre attempt to criticize winners who have been returning their awards in support of the farmers protesting near Delhi.

A group of top sportspersons and coaches from Punjab have threatened to return all their medals and awards and lay siege to Delhi if the central government does not repeal its three controversial ordinances that have sparked a furore among the country's farmers.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said ''award wapsi'' gang has become active again to destabilise the Narendra Modi government after 49 eminent citizens wrote to the prime minister on lynchings and said that ''Jai Shri Ram'' has become a provocative war cry.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday called veteran actor Shabana Azmi the "new leader of 'tukde tukde' and 'award wapsi' gang", accusing her of subverting India's interests by criticising the government.

BJP chief Amit Shah today expressed confidence that the party will win the coming elections in Rajasthan, which has witnessed a string of attacks by cow vigilantes over more than a year. Pointing to the lynching in Dadri -- the first of many across the country --- he said the party won that time too.

Taking a dig at those who cried hoarse over 'intolerance' by returning their awards, actor Anupam Kher today said that it was aimed at Bihar elections and questioned the sudden halt of such a campaign.

"As a film fraternity we are a little leftist, we are always against the establishment. The artists have always protested. It has always been there but it is being discussed more," Anurag Basu said

Actor Aamir Khan today joined the debate on the growing 'intolerance' and said he has been "alarmed" by a number of incidents, and that his wife Kiran Rao even suggested that they should probably leave the country.

"I haven't returned any awards. Returning an award would not solve any problem. We should learn to address the issue (of intolerance) rather than getting it upon ourselves. It is not a personal issue, it is the issue of entire nation," Kareena Kapoor said at a press meet in Raipur

Armed forces veterans say they will today begin returning medals they have been awarded in service of the country, despite the government hurrying over the weekend to issue a notification on One Rank One Pension or OROP, their demand for many years.

"They keep asking why I didn't return my award. In that case, Mahatma Gandhi should've also returned his law degree to the British government because he was against it. But he didn't do so, did he?" said Kamal Haasan. "People should seriously consider using podiums to raise their voice," he added

When asked whether he was supporting Shah Rukh, Sonu tweeted: SRK is the most grounded and generous actor I have come across who speaks from his heart. Earlier, actor Anupam Kher had come out in SRK's support after BJP MP Yogi Adityanath likened him to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed following his comment on growing intolerance in India

Secularism in India is under threat like never before said noted writer Nayantara Sahgal who had recently returned her 'Sahitya Akademi' award in protest against mob lynching of man in Dadri over rumours that he had eaten cow meat.

"I haven't heard what he (Shah Rukh) has said. As far as I know him, I don't think that there would be any such thing in his mind. My stand is this thing (intolerance) is not something that's happening only in this government or in the previous government," said Anil Kapoor

Kundan Shah, the maker of the iconic film 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron', and Saeed Mirza, were among the 24 filmmakers who returned their National Awards today and added their voice to what has come to be known as the "Award Wapsi" protest against "rising intolerance".