A political debate has erupted in Maharashtra after Bollywood actor Salman Khan attended a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) programme in Mumbai, with Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Azmi offering a guarded reaction to the actor’s presence at the event.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, February 10, Abu Azmi said he did not see the issue through a religious lens but suggested that the actor’s decision might not have been entirely voluntary. “Religion should not matter, but it is possible that Salman Khan was under some kind of pressure,” Azmi remarked.
Clarifying his stance, the SP leader said, “Salman Khan is a Muslim, not a Hindu, but religion should not matter in such matters.” He also came out in the actor’s defence, adding, “There are many Muslims who are part of the BJP and even support the RSS. So attending such an event should not automatically be questioned.”
Salman Khan’s participation in the RSS event triggered reactions from leaders across party lines, including Nitesh Rane, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, turning the cultural event into a political talking point.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde strongly defended the actor and criticised attempts to politicise the issue. Questioning the controversy, Shinde said, “Salman Khan attending the RSS event or not attending it — what kind of question is this?”
Emphasising citizenship over identity, Shinde added, “Isn’t Salman Khan an Indian citizen? He is an Indian citizen, he installs Lord Ganesha at his home, respects our culture, and his family does too.” He concluded by stating, “I don’t see anything wrong with Salman Khan attending Mohan Bhagwat’s programme.”
Salman Khan attended the RSS Vyakhyanmala on February 7, a two-day lecture series organised in Mumbai as part of the Sangh’s centenary celebrations. The event was themed “100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons.”
The programme was not limited to Khan alone. Several prominent figures from the film industry and other fields were present, including Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Ananya Panday, Subhash Ghai, Karan Johar, and Prasoon Joshi, along with more than 900 eminent personalities from science, industry, art, and culture.
The event also featured an interaction led by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and was held on February 7 and 8 in Mumbai.
