New Delhi, [India], Jan. 16 : Condemning the alleged pressure built by unknown entities on Kashmiri actor Zaira Wasim, who played the younger version of wrestler Geeta Phogat in the Aamir Khan-starrer 'Dangal' forcing her to apologise, woman activist Annie Raja on Monday said that those compelling the 16-year-old to repent her good work are against women.
Raja said that people responsible behind Wasim writing an apology letter are those who do not want women to rise.
"Such people who are threatening her are against women as a whole, not only Muslim women but all women.
They do not want that women are allowed to practice their rights which have been given to them by the Constitution," said Raja.
"Otherwise they would not have threatened a 16-year-old girl whose work is being applauded by all quarters.
Such people are enemies of their own community and I believe all this will not last for long. We strongly condemn this," she added. Echoing similar sentiments, another women activist Shamina Shafiq said that women should not bow down before such negative forces and keep up the good work, adding that the nation should also back the ambitions of girls who are making the whole country proud.
"It is unfortunate because what this little girl has done as far the role she played is concerned we are really proud of that and we are not just proud of the actors who have acted in the movie, we are proud of those four sisters on whose life this film has been made," said Shafiq.
"We as a country need to introspect that where are we going wrong that our daughters who are trying to make their own identity by trying to do something are being forced to apologise, it is very unfortunate.
I would urge such little girls to not get scared and keep on doing the good work and at the same time urge the nation to back such little girls," she added.
After issuing a shocking apology letter for "hurting sentiments", Wasim earlier today took to social media yet again to issue another note while clarifying that the she had not been forced into apologizing and requested everyone not to blow the matter out of proportion.
"I have no idea why this has become such a big issue. I just wanted to make sure that I did not hurt anyone's feelings and all of a sudden it has been turned into national news.
Again and again I am telling people that I have not been forced into anything by anyone," she said in her letter on Facebook and Twitter.
She further said that her earlier post was not meant against anyone, adding she was making sure that no one gets hurt by what she is doing.
"From media to everyone else, please don't blow this out of proportion. Neither was I forced nor am I against anyone," she said. Earlier, Wasim issued an out-of-the-blue public apology letter for hurting the sentiments of people via her Facebook and Twitter account.
"I know that many people have been offended and displeased by my recent actions or by the people I have recently met.
I want to apologise to all those people who I've unintentionally hurt and want them to know that I understand their sentiments, especially considering what has happened (in Kashmir) over the past six months," she wrote in her letter.
Wasim also appealed to the people to understand that sometime certain circumstances evolve which cannot be controlled by anyone and added 'whatever' she did was not a deliberate decision.
"I am being projected as a role model for Kashmiri youth. I want to make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my footsteps or even consider me a role model.
I'm not proud of what I'm doing and I want everyone, especially the youth to know, that there are real role models out there whether they be in this time or in our history," she said.
However, the reason for the apology letter is not very clear, but it is speculated that Wasim posted this note after being trolled on social media for meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti a couple of days ago and purportedly crediting her for her film's success.
Source: ANI
