Naseeruddin Shah slams Taliban sympathisers, issues video message for Indian Muslims

In a video message, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has criticised a section of Muslims in India for celebrating the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan and called it a matter of concern. On August 15, the terrorist group seized the capital city Kabul which led to a fall of the Ashraf Ghani-led government.

In the clip which has gone viral on Twitter, Shah said that every Indian Muslim should introspect if they want reformation and modernity in the religion or want to continue with 'dated barbarian values'.

"Even as the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan is a cause for concern for the whole world, celebrations of the barbarians in some sections of the Indian Muslims are no less dangerous," Shah said, "Every Indian Muslim should ask themselves if they want reform and modernity in Islam (jiddat pasandi modernity) or the barbarian (vaishipan) values of the past few centuries."

The 71-year-old actor also mentioned that he has an informal (betakaluff) relation with the almighty and he does not need a political religion. “I am an Indian Muslim and as Mirza Ghalib said years ago, my relationship with God is informal. I don’t need political religion,” he said.

Shah further said that Hindustani Islam has been different from other parts of the world and wished that it never changes beyond recognition. "Indian Islam has always been different from the rest of the world. May God not bring a time when it changes so much that we don't even recognise it," he stated.

Taliban takeover

The Taliban took over the capital city Kabul on August 15 after conquering cities like Herat, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif, Lashkar Gah, and Jalalabad without much resistance from Afghan forces and US troops, who left the war-torn country after 20 years. The hasty withdrawal of American troops saw thousands of Afghans attempting to flee from the country with many even clinging to departing plane's wheels, leading to them plummeting to their deaths. 

However, despite the Taliban's takeover, a resistance front has been formed in Panjshir by Ahmad Massoud. It has also received the support of 'caretaker' President Amrullah Saleh.