Ahmedabad, 16 April 2014

Bollywood actor Tusshar Kapoor today reacted strongly against the anti-Modi gang in Bollywood. Tussar tweeted:

-To cover up corruption and bad governance, the ‘secular’ card is being stretched a bit too far! No party can claim the secular prize!

-Also, if development seems to be the mantra for the 2014 polls then that is what Indians, irrespective of religion, need and have waited for!

-Its shameful that some from my fraternity have forgotten the basic needs of the poor, rather they are trying to ‘save India’! From what???

Tussar was reacting to a letter(in full text below) signed and circulated by some of the Bollywood persons and activists to appeal to “vote for the secular party”.

Reacting to same letter, Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on twitter said:

-Since few of my colleagues are telling people who to vote for, it is also important to tell people to vote for Narendra Modi for betterment of India. 🙂

Film maker Madhur Bhandarkar also came out in open in support of Narendra Modi following the letter circulated by section of anti-Modi Bollywood people and activists.

The letter by anti-Modi gang in Bollywood:

Dear Fellow-Indians,

The best thing about our country is its cultural diversity, its pluralism – the co-existence of a number of religions and ethnicities over centuries, and hence the blooming of multiple streams of intellectual and artistic thought. And, this has been possible only because Indian society has prided itself on being essentially secular in character, rejecting communal hatred, embracing tolerance.

Today, that very sense of India is vulnerable. The need of the hour is to protect our country’s secular foundation. Undoubtedly, corruption and governance are important issues, but we will have to vigilantly work out ways of holding our government accountable to that. However, one thing is clear: India’s secular character is not negotiable! Not now, not ever.

As Indian citizens who love our motherland, we appeal to you to vote for the secular party, which is most likely to win in your constituency.
Jai Hind!

Yours

Imtiaz Ali (Writer-Director: Highway, Jab We Met)
Vishal Bhardwaj (Writer-Director: Omkara, Maqbool)
Govind Nihalani (Director: Tamas, Ardh Satya)
Saeed Mirza (Director: Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai)
Zoya Akhtar (Writer-Director: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara)
Anand Patwardhan (Documentary Film-maker: Jai Bhim Comrade)
Vijay Krishna Acharya (Director: Dhoom 3)
Kabir Khan (Director: Ek Tha Tiger)
Kundan Shah (Director: Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro)
Nandita Das (Director-Actress: Firaaq, Fire)
Hansal Mehta (Director: Shahid)
Anjum Rajabali (Writer: Raajneeti, Satyagraha)
Shubha Mudgal (Singer-Musician)
Swara Bhaskar (Actor: Raanjhana, Tanu Weds Manu)
Aditi Rao Hydari (Actor: Murder 3, Rockstar)
Mahesh Bhatt (Director-Producer: Saaraansh, Jannat)
Anil Mehta (Cinematographer: Lagaan, Jab Tak Hai Jaan)
Saket Chaudhary (Writer-Director: Shaadi Ke Side Effects)
Rakesh Sharma (Documentary Film-maker: Final Solution)
Vinay Shukla (Writer-Director: Godmother)
Kamlesh Pandey (Writer: Rang De Basanti)
Robin Bhatt (Writer: Chennai Express, Krish 3)
Aneesh Pradhan (Tabla Maestro)
Sanjay Chhel (Writer: Rangeela, Yes Boss)
Sameer Anjan (Lyricist: Dhoom 3, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
Imteyaz Husain (Writer: Parinda)
Rajesh Dubey (TV Writer: Balika Vadhu)
Vinod Ranganath (TV Writer: Shanti, Swaabhiman)
Jalees Sherwani (Lyricist: Dabang)
Amitabh Shukla (Film Editor: Lagaan)
Sukant Panigrahi (Art Director)
Surabhi Sharma (Documentary Film-maker)
Anusha Khan (Producer)
Bishwadeep Chatterjee (Sound Designer: 3 Idiots)
C.K. Muraleedharan (Cinematographer: 3 Idiots)
Dr Manasee Palshikar (Screenwriter-Teacher)
Jyoti Dogra (Actor:
Joy Sengupta (Actor)
Kauser Munir (Lyricist: Dhoom 3)
Mazahir Rahim (Screenwriter)
Nishant Radhakrishnan (Film Editor: Satyamev Jayate)
Preety Ali (Producer)
Priyanka Borpujari (Screenwriter)
Rajashree (Filmmaker-Teacher)
Ruchika Oberoi (Film-maker)
Rukmini Sen (Screenwriter and TV Journalist)
Sameera Iyengar (Theatre activist)
Sharad Tripathi (Screenwriter)
Shivani Tibrewala Chand (Playwright)
Siminatini Dhuru (Activist)
Sona Jain (Film-maker)

Tushar Gandhi (Activist)
Teesta Setalvaad (Activist)
Javed Anand (Activist)