Actor-turned-politician Paresh Rawal found himself in the middle of a controversy following a speech while he was campaigning for the BJP in Gujarat’s Valsad.
Speaking at an event, Rawal said that the people of Gujarat could live with inflation or high gas prices but would not tolerate living with illegal Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingyas.
‘People will get employment, but when Bangladeshis and Rohingyas will live around you like in Delhi, what will you do? With the gas cylinder, will you cook fish for those Bengalis? So, you have to understand this,’ he said, according to a video shared by Desh Gujarat.
Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party, he further said: ‘Brother Kejriwal, first he used to say what’s in Ram, who is Ram, get Ram’s proof, get Ram’s birth certificate, get Ram’s PAN card. Then, he said I will start special trains to Ayodhya. How will you handle this hypocrite? So, be cautious of such people. There will be such contamination, there will be a house besides yours and you wouldn’t know.’ Rawal added, ‘You have to be safe from these things. You will tolerate the inflation for once. Gujarati people can bear the inflation, but this you won’t be able to. You wouldn’t even know where this termite will bite you.’
After the speech went viral, Rawal, went onto clarify what he meant and even apologised. ‘Of course the fish is not the issue AS GUJARATIS DO COOK AND EAT FISH. BUT LET ME CLARIFY BY BENGALI I MEANT ILLEGAL BANGLA DESHI N ROHINGYA. BUT STILL IF I HAVE HURT YOUR FEELINGS AND SENTIMENTS I DO APOLOGISE,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Rawal’s comment also drew criticism from TMC MP Mahua Moitra, who wrote on Twitter: ‘Actually Kemchho Slapstickman need not have apologised. The 2nd part of Cook Fish like Bengalis is ‘Have Brains like Bengalis’. Most nobel laureates than any other Indian state, buddy boy….’
