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Superstar Salman retracts controversial tweet
Mumbai, July 26 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Salman
Khan on Sunday evening apologized for tweeting earlier that the 1993
Mumbai blasts accused Yakub Memon should not hang but his brother Tiger
Memon should.
While saying that he stood by what he had said,
Salman said his father Salim Khan wanted him to retract his tweets "as
they have the potential to create misunderstanding".
"What I said
is that Yakub Memon should not hang for him (Tiger). I have not said or
implied that Yakub Memon is innocent. I have complete faith in the
judicial system of our country.
"Many lives were lost in the
Mumbai blasts. And I have repeatedly said the loss of (even) one
innocent life is equal to the loss of all humanity.
"My dad called ... said I should retract my tweets as they have the potential to create misunderstanding. I hereby retract them.
"I would like to unconditionally apologize for any misunderstanding I may have created unintentionally.
"I
also strongly condemn those who are claiming my tweets are
anti-religious. I have always said I respect all faiths and I always
will," the actor tweeted.
Mumbai, July 26
Bollywood superstar Salman
Khan has come out against the death penalty given to 1993 Mumbai serial
bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon, saying he should not be punished for
his brother's crime.
“Hang Tiger. Brother is being hanged for
Tiger. Aarrre (Where) is Tiger? Get Tiger. Get Tiger hang him. Parade
him, not his brother,†Salman tweeted on Saturday night, referring to
Ibrahim alias Tiger Memon.
Yakub Memon is set to be executed on
July 30 for his role in Mumbai blasts in which 257 people were killed
and 712 others injured. Yakub is the brother of one of the main
absconding accused, Tiger Memon.
The "Ek Tha Tiger" star also called Tiger Memon a coward for letting his brother face the gallows.
“We
can die for our family. Tiger, your brother will be hanged for you in
some days. Say something, make a statement or address that it was you.
What kind of brother are you,†Salman wondered.
The “Bajrangi
Bhaijaan†actor also called upon Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
urging him to share details of Tiger, if available to him.
“One
innocent man killed is killing the humanity. Read about Yakub Memon
before commenting on him. Where are you hiding Tiger? Sharif Saab, I
would request you to let us know about Tiger, if you have any
information about him,†the actor shared.
The outburst over the
conviction via a series of tweets was not sudden, as the actor wanted to
express his views for the last three days.
“I've been wanting
to tweet this for 3 days and was afraid to do so but it involves a man
and his family. Don't hang brother hang the fox who ran away,†added the
star.
As Salman’s tweets has snowballed into a controversy,
there are reports that security around his residence here has been
beefed up.
However, Salman’s father Salim Khan criticised his son for tweeting about a serious issue without thinking it through.
“Salman should have thought sensitively before tweeting in support of Yakub,†a media house, Zee Media quoted Salim as saying.
Milind
Deora, MP from the Mumbai South constituency, tried to clear the
confusion over Salman supporting a convict, by saying that the actor
wanted to bring the main accused into focus.
"Spoke to
@BeingSalmanKhan last evening & today. He doesn't believe Yakub
Memon isn't guilty & was only spotlighting YM's brother's
cowardice," Deora tweeted on Sunday.