Uttar Pradesh’s designated minister Raghuraj Singh on Thursday withdrew his earlier remark in which he had called actor Salman Khan “anti-national,” claiming it was a slip of the tongue. A day earlier, Singh had gone so far as to say that Salman Khan was anti-national and “should be hanged,” triggering widespread criticism.
Clarifying his statement, Singh said he had mistakenly named Salman Khan during the interaction and that his remarks were actually intended for actor Shah Rukh Khan. He claimed that the journalist had mentioned Salman Khan’s name, which led to the confusion. According to Singh, Salman Khan is a good actor and was not the target of his comments.
Doubling down on his clarification, Singh alleged that Shah Rukh Khan supports Pakistan financially during times of crisis and speaks about issues such as mob lynching in India, but remains silent when Hindus are allegedly being killed in Bangladesh. “I took Shah Rukh Khan’s name, but by mistake Salman Khan’s name came out,” Singh said, while reiterating that, in his view, Shah Rukh Khan was “anti-national.”
Despite the retraction regarding Salman Khan, Singh maintained his aggressive stance, asserting, “Shah Rukh Khan is anti-national, there is no doubt about it,” making it clear that his broader position remained unchanged.
Raghuraj Singh has previously courted controversy with provocative statements. In the past, he had suggested that people who wish to avoid colours during Holi should wear a “tarpaulin hijab,” comparing it to the head coverings worn by Muslim women, and had said those unwilling to do so should stay indoors.
