Shabana Azmi responds to criticism over 'anti-national' remark

Shabana Azmi, who came under fire for her remarks that if anyone criticises government y are dubbed as anti-national, on Tuesday attacked religious fundamentalists in her response to criticism.

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veteran actor questioned uproar over her remark, which she made while addressing a garing in Indore on July 6, where she was feted with an award for her work for women empowerment.

"So much uproar over my one remark? Didn't realise I was so important in eyes of right wing. Muslim fundos fun also passed fatwa against me for shaving my head for Deepa Mehta film 'Water' to which Javed Akhtar response on record was shut up. All fundos are mirror ims of each or. 

"I'd like to remind people that my far Kaifi Azmi returned his Padma Shri when Congress was at centre in protest against a UP minister who had said that those asking for Urdu to get second langu status should be paraded on a donkey with ir faces blackened," Azmi posted on microblogging site. 

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From Hindi film industry, actor Swara Bhasker came in support of her senior saying  it is "shameful" of people to target an artiste of Azmi's calibre with fake allegations. 

"It is shameful how an artist of profile and calibre of Shabana Azmi ma'am is being relentlessly targeted with fake allegations by people who have t contributed 1/100th of what she has to modern Indian popular culture and discourse. More power to you ma'am," she wrote on Twitter. 

On Saturday, Azmi, without naming any political party or ideology said, people should t be afraid to speak ir mind in interest of country. 

"If we do t point out flaws, how would conditions improve?" she had asked. "But atmosphere w is such that if you criticise, especially government, you are immediately branded as anti-national. We should t be afraid of this. body needs ir certificate," she said.