MP Anantkumar finds Aamir Khan's CEAT ad anti-Hindu

Bengaluru: Former Union minister and Uttara Kannada MP Anantkumar Hegde, has expressed anger at actor Aamir Khan, for appearing in an advertisement that 'hurts' the sentiments of Hindus.

In an advertisement for CEAT, the Bollywood actor Aamir Khan gives a message to the effect that bursting of crackers to celebrate festivals is bad for the environment. Anantkumar wrote a letter on October 14 to Anant Vardhan Goenka, owner of CEAT, seeking withdrawal of the advertisement.

"If bursting of crackers on the roads creates traffic problems, offering namaz on special days, too, affects movement of people and vehicles. If crackers create noise pollution, so does Azaan conveyed through loudspeakers in the mornings. Don't you feel these things, too, should be raised in advertisements?" he said.

The MP has posted this letter in the social media. He condemned Aamir Khan by questioning whether showing Hindu celebrations in poor light is the only job he does. "Why is there silence about the observations in other faiths? Loudspeakers which make big sound in the mornings, offering of namaz in the middle of the road and other such issues can also be handled by Aamir Khan so that many problems get addressed."

The letter by Anantkumar Hegde to CEAT CEO and MD stated, "Dear Shri Goenka, Your company's recent advertisement in which Amir Khan advising people not to fire crackers on the streets is giving a very good message. Your concern for public issues needs applause."

"In this regard, I request you to address one more problem faced by people on roads, i.e., blocking roads in the name of namaz on Fridays and other important festive days by Muslims. It is a very common scene in many Indian cities where Muslims block busy roads and perform namaz. At that time, vehicles like ambulances and fire tenders are also stuck in traffic causing grave losses," Hegde mentioned in the letter.

"I also request you to highlight the issue of noise pollution in your ads. Every day, loud noise is emitted from mikes arranged on the top of mosques in our country when azan is given. That sound is beyond the permissible limits. On Fridays, it is prolonged for some more time. It is causing great inconvenience to people suffering from different ailments and taking rest, people working in different establishments and teachers teaching in classrooms. Actually, this list of sufferers is very long and only a few are mentioned here," said Hegde.

"As you are very keen and sensitive towards the problems faced by the general public and you also belong to the Hindu community, I am sure you can feel the discrimination done to the Hindus since centuries. Nowadays, a group of Anti-Hindu actors always hurt the Hindu sentiments whereas they never try to expose the wrongdoings of their community," He stated in the letter.

He added, "Therefore, I kindly request you to take a cognizance of this particular incident where your company's advertisement has created an unrest among the Hindus. I hope in future your organization will respect the Hindu sentiment and will not hurt it directly or indirectly by any means. Thank you and Happy Deepavali!"