Javed Akhtar fires back at troll over ‘traitor’s son’ remark

MUMBAI: Renowned Indian writer and poet Javed Akhtar lashed out at a social media user for calling him a ‘traitor’s son.’

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), Javed Akhtar posted about US President Joe Biden on the social networking site X stating: “I am a proud Indian citizen and till my last breath I will remain so but I have one common fact with Joe Biden. Both of us have exactly equal chance of becoming the next president of USA.”

A user responded to this post by calling Akhtar the “son of a traitor” who had divided the nation on religious lines.

The user named VIVEK SHARMA said in his tweet: “Your father was instrumental in making Pakistan in order to have a nation just for Muslims, then in the guise of progressive writer he chose to remain in India. You are a son of Gaddar who divided our nation on d lines of religion. Now u say anything but this is the truth.”

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Akhtar replied sharply, questioning the user’s ignorance or stupidity and highlighting his family’s long history of fighting for India’s freedom.

In response to this post, Javed Akhtar wrote, “It is difficult to decide whether you are totally ignorant or a complete idiot. From 1857 my family has been involved with freedom movement and has gone to jails and Kala paani when most probably your baap dadas were licking the boots of Angrez sarkar”

The 79-year-old writer is the son of noted poet Nisar Akhtar and writer Safia Sirajul Haque, who were part of the Progressive Writers’ Movement before India’s partion.

Javed Akhtar’s great-grandfather, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, participated in the 1857 War of Independence against the British East India Company. Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi was imprisoned in Kala Paani Jail for his participation in this war, where he died in 1864.