India capable of protecting its citizens: Sena

MUMBAI: Sharply reacting to Rehman Malik's statement that the Indian government should provide security to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, the Shiv Sena today said that India was "capable" of protecting its citizens and is not "answerable" to Pakistan.

"They (Pakistan) should not meddle in our internal affairs. The Government in India is capable of protecting its citizens. Our government is not answerable to Pakistan. Pakistan should instead protect the Hindu minority in their country," Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said.

Raut said the government in the neighbouring country should protect temples, which are being demolished by militant groups there.

"Also, there is a serious law and order problem in Pakistan. There is anarchy over there. Pakistan is running terrorist organisations," he alleged.

Raut said that were expecting a response in the same tone from the Home Minister ( Sushilkumar Shinde) too.

"But going by the statements which he makes, it seems that he is the Home Minister of that (Pak) country," he said.

The Pakistan Interior Minister made the controversial remarks yesterday while interacting with reporters at a reception organised by High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal to mark India's Republic Day. He was responding to questions about a first-person account penned by Shahrukh in a magazine, in which the star focused on his experiences as a Muslim in the post-9/11 world.

On whether the 47-year-old actor courted controversy with his comments, Raut simply said, "he may have."

"More than Shah Rukh, South star Kamal Hassan needs security at this moment, as he is receiving threats for his new film," the Sena leader added.