Screenwriter Salim Khan on Sunday criticised his actor son Salman Khan over his comments on 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon's death sentence saying it must not be taken seriously as he is ignorant about the matter. His remarks came hours after a BJP lawmaker asked the Bollywood superstar to withdraw his tweets defending Yakub Memon.
"Whatever Salman has written is ridiculous and meaningless. Salman is ignorant of the issue and people should not take him seriously," IBNLive quoted the senior Khan as saying.
However, Salim Khan said that Yakub must not be hanged as life imprisonment would be a stricter punishment for him.
"Yakub should be kept in jail rather be hanged. Keeping him alive is a bigger punishment," he said.
Salman Khan had on Saturday posted a series of tweets, saying he wanted to speak on Memon's hanging for a long but was afraid. He said Yakub's elder brother should be hanged instead of him.
Get tiger hang him. Parade him not his brother
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Salman, who in his latest release "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" helps a mute girl from Pakistan return home, urges Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in one of his tweets to give the whereabouts of Tiger Memon so that an "innocent" man is not hanged for the deeds committed by his brother (Tiger). Tiger is one of the prime accused in the 1993 serial bombings in Mumbai.
been wanting to tweet Tis fr 3 days n was afraid to do so but it involves a man's n family. Don't hang brother hang tha lomdi who ran away
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Get tiger hang him. Parade him not his brother
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Kidhar chupa hai tiger? Hey koi tiger nahi hai hai hai billi aur hum ek billi ko nahi pakad sakteh. — Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Sharif Saab ek darkhaust hai k agar yeh aap k mulkh mein hai toh plz iktila kar deejiyeh.
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Hours later, Bihar BJP legislator from Nokha (in Rohtas district) Rameshwar Chaurasia asked the actor to withdraw his tweets. Senior lawyer Abha Singh and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray too criticised Salman for his tweets.
Criminal should nt be linked with religion,surprised to see Salman speaking in Owaisi's lang,he must withdraw his tweet: Rameshwar Chaurasia — ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2015
Ppl of country hv faith in judicial system,not right for anyone to raise a finger on judiciary: Rameshwar Chaurasia, BJP on Salman's tweet
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2015
Is he trying to question the judicial system of the nation? Uddhav Thackeray on Salman Khan's tweet
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2015
Is he trying to question judicial system of country? His statement is very improper & against rule of law: Abha Singh pic.twitter.com/7PbEQiWF0A — ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2015
However, senior lawyer Majid Memon said Khan was only expressing his views and he is free to do so.
It's an individual's view, he's an Indian citizen who has the right to express his views: Majeed Memon, Senior Lawyer on Salman Khan's tweet — ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2015
Khan has posted a couple of tweets for Tiger, asking him to confess that he was behind the blasts not his brother.
Tiger ki hi to kami hai India mein. Tiger ko Lao. Hum toh upne family par mar jaaaeen. Tiger tumhaara bhai kuch Dino mein tumhare liyeh
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Phasisi k phande pe chardne walla hai . Koi statement. Koi address. Kuch toh bolo k tum teh. Wah bhai ho toh aisa. Matlab. Ya khoob menan. — Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 25, 2015
Security outside Salman's house in Bandra, Mumbai has been beefed up following his tweets on Yakub.
Security tightened outside Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/qXLobEGjPU
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2015