Kailash Vijayvargiya retracts Shah Rukh Khan tweets, BJP says not its view

NEW DELHI: Under fire for his remark against Shah Rukh Khan, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya today withdrew his controversial tweets but asserted that had there been intolerance in India, Shah Rukh would not have been the most popular actor after Amitabh Bachchan.

"My intention was not to hurt anyone. I take back my yesterday's tweet," he said on microblogging site Twitter this morning, even as his party distanced itself from his earlier remarks critical of the actor saying it was "not the view of the BJP".

In another tweet, the BJP general secretary said that had there been intolerance in India "after Amitabh, Shah Rukh would not have been the most popular actor. Some people have drawn different meaning from my tweet."

Vijayvargiya had yesterday triggered a controversy when he tweeted that Shah Rukh's "soul" is in Pakistan though he lives in India. His remarks had come a day after the actor said there is "extreme intolerance" in the country.

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said what Vijayvargiya has said is "not the view of the BJP".

"We have not seen what exactly he has said. What is reported is not the view of the party. We don't normally comment on individuals also.

"We have no problems with Shah Rukh Khan. He is a great actor. Undoubtedly people admire him. But what exactly Vijayvargiya has said I have not gone through it," Naidu said.

Vijayvargiya had come under attack over his tweets against Shah Rukh Khan with Trinamool Congress spokesperson Derek O'Brien terming them "sickening".

"Sickening remarks against Shah Rukh Khan by BJP general secretary also Bengal in-charge. What kind of attitude is this? Everyone else is bad and only you are good?" Derek had said in a statement.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also come out in support of the Bollywood superstar.

"We r all proud of you.@iamsrk Hope your words help to make a tolerant, inclusive and progressive India," he had tweeted.