Javed Akhtar defends Islamophobia in India after wife was denied flat in Bombay

Controversial Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar justified Islamophobia in India by blaming Muslims for the displacement of Hindus during the partition of 1947. He claimed that the bitterness some Hindus feel today stems from being forced to leave their ancestral homes in Sindh.

In a recent interview, Akhtar was asked about Pakistani actress Bushra Ansari’s criticism of his anti-Pakistan remarks. She had pointed out that Akhtar, despite being a well-known figure, was not allowed to buy a flat in Bombay.

In response, Akhtar said that his wife, acclaimed actress Shabana Azmi, was indeed denied a flat in Bombay because she is Muslim. “Shabana wanted to buy a flat, and she was denied. The broker clearly told her that people don’t want to sell their flats to Muslims,” he said.

While acknowledging that anti-Muslim sentiment exists in India, Akhtar defended it by holding Muslims responsible. He said many of those who now discriminate against Muslims were once refugees who were driven out of their homes during partition.

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"Those people were ousted from Sindh. Their land, property, reputation, and jobs were taken from them. They came to India as refugees, sold clothes and chholay on the streets, and rebuilt their lives through hard work," he said.

“They have this bitterness, which they often take out on us. Who is responsible for that?” he said, directing the question to his wife. “He denied you a home because you ousted them from their homes in Sindh.”

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“Why do you blame them?” he added. “You should look into your own conscience.”

Akhtar’s comments sparked backlash for presenting a one-sided view of partition, ignoring the suffering of millions of Muslims who were forced to migrate from India and the violence they endured.

Critics argud  that his remarks overlook the rise of Hindu extremism.