Urmila Matondkar slams BJP leader for his remarks on Dilip Kumar
Mumbai, Jul 7: Actor-politician Urmila Matondkar has criticised BJP politician Arun Yadav after he claimed that screen icon Dilip Kumar, who passed away on Wednesday, used a Hindu name to earn money as an actor.
One of India's finest actors who ruled the hearts of generations, Kumar was born Mohammed Yousuf Khan on December 11, 1922 in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Devika Rani, who was the head of the Bombay Talkies where he joined as an actor, rechristened him as Dilip Kumar.
Kumar, who died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday morning after prolonged illness at the age of 98, was remembered by many on social media who called his demise an irreparable loss to Indian cinema.
Haryana BJP IT cell and social media head Arun Yadav courted controversy with his condolence message.
"The death of Mohammad Yusuf Khan (Dilip Kumar), who earned money by keeping a Hindu name in the film world, is an irreparable loss to the Indian film industry! Deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Hope God gives peace to the departed soul," Yadav wrote in Hindi.
Reacting strongly to his tweet, Matondkar expressed her anguish as she wrote "Shame on you", with a thumbs down emoji.
The 47-year-old actor-politician said it is saddening to see someone "trivialising" Kumar's critically-acclaimed body of work.
"It is sad to see that a legend of our country is being trivialised by saying that he kept a Hindu name to earn money. One needs to show dignity and class. He has done so many socially relevant films," Matondkar told PTI.
The Shiv Sena leader further said that Kumar was a "socially responsible person".
"He helped the widows of soldiers who lost their lives in Kargil war and did innumerable amount of social work," Matondkar said.
The actor slammed Yadav for his "double standards" as she said that he made the remark in the garb of offering his condolences.
"It is because of this particular thinking of these people that there are many people who think it is fine to create a constant communal division and whitewash it.
"Shame on a thinking like this. He (Yadav) needs to grow up. He needs to get the information correct," Matondkar added.
She said Kumar was someone who was "beyond any religion".
"There are so many Muslims who have taken Hindu names and vice versa but does it make us less? The fact should be how much of an Indian you are. He (Dilip Kumar) was indeed one," Matondkar added.
Yadav's tweet also drew criticism from other Twitter users who called out the politician for his remarks.
"Shame... How can you post something like this on someone's death. What is the problem if a Muslim has a Hindu name? And if a Hindu has a Muslim name, then also there is a problem. Please grow up and be a good human being, you will feel good," a social media user wrote.
Another user said Kumar's contribution to Indian films trumps all such comments made in poor taste.
"... Yusuf Khan aka Dilip Kumar made India known and famous through the whole world (sic)," a tweet noted.
Kumar, known to generations of film-goers as 'tragedy king' for his portrayal of the brooding, intense romantic, starred in classics such as "Mughal-e-Azam" and "Devdas". Also called the Nehruvian hero, he made his acting debut with "Jwar Bhata" in 1944.
In his five-decade career he worked in 65 films which included titles like "Naya Daur", "Madhumati" and "Ram Aur Shyam" in which he starred as the leading man.
In his twilight years, he graduated to character roles in films like "Shakti" and "Karma". His last on-screen appearance was his last "Qila" in 1998.
Shame on you ?
— Urmila Matondkar (@UrmilaMatondkar) July 7, 2021
Shame..
— Ritika Sanwal (Pahadan) ? #Uttarakhandi (@infiniteflames2) July 7, 2021
How can you post something like this on someone's death.
Agar koi muslim hindu name rkh de toh dikkat , agar koi hindu muslim name rkh de toh dikkat.
Janab in sab se upar uth ke insan ban ke dekhiye acha lagega ?
Really earn money in the name of hindu and what about because of his performance india was know to be a country where a brillant actor Existed like Dilip Kumar….. Yusuf Khan Aka Dilip Kumar made India known and famous through the whole world…
— BeingMuslim (@DarknessEvil10) July 7, 2021
There were many Muslim actors at that time who had Hindu screen names like Ajit and Jeevan.
— Lav Bhargava (@lavbhargava) July 7, 2021
Did that take away from their talent or the legendary and successfull status of Dilip kumar?
It was not the Hindu name that made him so successful bit his talent
Kindly note M.Bhagwat ji
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Why is govt in 'hurry' to amend women's quota law, must call all-party meeting after polls: Kharge
New Delhi, Mar 26 (PTI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, asking why the government was in a "great hurry" to amend the women's quota law.
In his letter to Rijiju, Kharge also reiterated that an all-party meeting should be held on the matter after the current round of assembly elections is completed in April.
Kharge's letter came in response to one from the Union minister to the Congress chief seeking a meeting with the party on plans to amend the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, for its implementation.
"I have just received your letter on 26th March 2026. Opposition parties have already written to you on 24th March 2026, suggesting that an all-party meeting be held after April 29th, 2026, to discuss the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023," the Congress president said.
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"I simply fail to understand why the government is in such great hurry to further amend a Constitutional Amendment Act, 30 months after it was initially passed. We are all extremely busy with the election campaign. That is the reason why we had suggested that the meeting be held after the election campaign is over," Kharge said.
This will, in no way, affect the implementation of the amended Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, from the 2029 Lok Sabha election onwards, he said.
"In fact, on 21st September, 2023, during the debate in the Rajya Sabha, I had myself demanded the immediate implementation of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, but the government had not agreed with my demand. I once again request you to convene an all-party meeting any time after April 29, 2026," Kharge said.
Several opposition parties on Tuesday wrote to the government, asking for an all-party meeting to be convened to discuss the modalities of the implementation of the women's quota law.
In a letter to Rijiju, the opposition leaders had said the meeting should be held after the current round of assembly elections is completed in April.
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"You may recall that I had written to you on March 16, 2026, requesting that an all-party meeting chaired by the PM be convened at the earliest to discuss, as desired by you, the modalities and roadmap for the implementation of the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023," the letter written on Congress president Kharge's letterhead had said.
The letter had signatories from several opposition parties, except the Trinamool Congress.
It came after indications that the government was planning to bring bills to ensure that the women's reservation law is implemented before the completion of the delimitation exercise for Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies.
The opposition leaders, in their letter, said that the government was planning a further amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill passed in September 2023. The law is officially known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress had on Wednesday claimed that the "U-turn Ustad" now wants to implement the women's reservation law without completing the delimitation and census exercises by passing amendments at a "special two-day session" of Parliament in the next fortnight.
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The opposition party had alleged that this was a "weapon of mass diversion" to change the narrative from the government's "foreign policy failures and setbacks and from the LPG and energy crisis facing the country".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, had said the Modi government was also planning to increase the size of the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabhas by 50 per cent, which also needed careful deliberation.
The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023, but it will come into effect after the completion of the delimitation exercise.
