Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor was in Hoshanagabad on Saturday (4 February) to attend a college festival as a chief guest. Little did he know that he would be welcomed with protests for something he said almost two years ago.
Activists from Bajrang Dal and other cow vigilante groups staged a demonstration against the actor for his statement supporting the consumption of beef in 2015 when the government of Maharashtra had banned beef in the state.
The protesters gathered at Nehru Part where they staged a demonstration with black flags and shouted slogans like, “Rishi Kapoor go back.”
Later on, they also burnt his effigy. They said their sentiments were hurt by his comments and that he should offer a public apology for the same.
In March 2015, the actor had tweeted, “I am angry. Why do you equate food with religion?? I am a beef eating Hindu. Does that mean I am less God fearing then a non eater? Think!!” This triggered a series of negative comments and abuses against him. He explained his earlier tweet later by saying, “Knew this would go wrong!When did I say I have "Gau Maas"and I kill cows? Yes I eat beef where cattle are bred for food legally Not in India.”
But as the matter didn’t subside even after few days, Kapoor offered another explanation saying he doesn’t slaughter cows. He wrote, “Fed up fed up! When did I say cow slaughter or gau Maas khata hoon. Ye aapne socha aisa maine naheen kaha. Do waqt ki puja karta hoon main.”
The actor has so far not reacted to the protests.
Watch the demonstration video: