"If People Say Islamic Terror...": Swara Bhasker's Take On Pragya Thakur

Swara Bhasker has said violence, crime, terrorism were sins (File)

Actor Swara Bhasker's record of not caring for diplomatic responses still stands strong. Asked about the sensitive subject of "Hindu terror" she emphatically said if the term Islamic terror exists, the word Hindu terrorism cannot be embargoed. "Terrorism has no religion, but a terrorist has," the actor, who has never shied away from airing her political views, said on Monday. She also said Malegaon blasts accused Pragya Thakur's nomination as BJP's national election candidate from Bhopal was "shameful".

"I have said this clearly her candidature is shameful. If you are asking me who is the better candidate in Bhopal, I feel there is no doubt it's Digvijaya Singh," she said.

Digvijaya Singh, Congress stalwart, is taking on Pragya Thakur, who is currently out on bail.

"If Pragya Thakur says she is a Hindu and she is accused of terrorism, then she is a Hindu terror accused," the actor added.

"If people talk about Islamic terror.... they use such language, then the term Hindu terrorism can also be used. If you ask me, violence, crime, terrorism are sins and people from any religion can commit it. Hindus can also do this sin, Muslims can do this and they have done in the past, Christians can do this and they too have done it in the past, Buddhists and Jews can do this and they have done in the past," she elaborated.

Ms Bhasker, one of the most forceful critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government in Bollywood, was all praise for the Congress. " I have read the Congress manifesto and I concur with it. The manifesto is laudable as it talks about issues concerning the country," she said.

Swara Bhasker, a former student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, last month campaigned for former student leader Kanhaiya Kumar who is contesting his maiden national election from Bihar's Begusarai as the Left candidate.

"Kanhaiya is a friend and I think he is fighting an important battle on behalf of us all. If he wins, it will be a victory for Indian democracy," Ms Bhasker had said.

She is not the only artiste from the film industry to have voiced such views on Pragya Thakur. Acclaimed lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar last week launched a sharply-worded critique of BJP Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur Singh, over the Malegaon blasts accused's comments on the Babri Masjid demolition.

"It is shameful that BJP chose to field Sadhvi Pragya from this seat. If they wanted, they could have fielded her from a place where people are uneducated", he had said.