The controversial Bollywood actor Anupam Kher seems to have an opinion about everything. A self-proclaimed supporter of BJP, Kher stirred a fresh dispute by making a comparison between the saffron party’s opponents to pests and insects.
घरों में पेस्ट कंट्रोल होता है तो कॉक्रोच, कीड़े मकोड़े इत्यादि बाहर निकलते है। घर साफ़ होता है।वैसे ही आजकल देश का पेस्ट कंट्रोल चल रहा है।
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) February 20, 2016
Amidst the JNU row, the tweet (which is incidentally a dialogue from the movie ‘A Wednesday’) was presumably meant to take a dig at those he considers “anti-national” and obviously it didn’t go down well with many people.
He made this observation through a tweet in Hindi, so for all of you who cannot read it, here’s the rough translation of it:
“When you use pest control in your house, you see cockroach, insects and vermin popping out of their hiding. This cleanses the house. Likewise, the pest control of the entire country is being carried out at the moment.”
Obviously, as expected, Kher’s comments evoked angry criticism from the Twitterati with some mocking him and some criticising him for his dehumanizing language. A war of words too ensued between him and well known journalist Rajdeep Sardesai:
Some people want ‘pest control’ to remove ‘insects’ in society? Last time that analogy used? sadly, during Holocaust in Nazi Germany!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 21, 2016
Do you think Kher remained quiet?
Some people will rather talk about Nazi Germany & support terrorist sympathisers than talk about martyrs & India. https://t.co/AXH5Ctdm6b
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) February 21, 2016
Superb sir, You sound like straight out of one of those Hindi film dialogues. Maza aaya! https://t.co/9u8QbDE4e1
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 20, 2016
Sardesai sent out another tweet to Kher, this time wishing him good night calling it off
Maza aya sir! Right to free speech allows a great star like you to call people Keede, makode, cockroach! Gnight! https://t.co/RhBbA8vxCJ
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 20, 2016
At Least i am loyal to my profession. I wish i could say the same about you. Maza Aaya?:) https://t.co/2yfaxMWB7k
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) February 20, 2016
Others were also keen to join in the fun:
Cockroaches? I had chosen to forget Adolf Hitler’s Nazi diatribe; letting Baygon be Baygon. ) But it’s back. https://t.co/dLMQYkrJrz
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) February 21, 2016
So, the Funny ones
I think Anupam Kher is gunning for the Pest Actor Award.
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) February 20, 2016
Caller: “Goodmorning ma’am we’re calling from pest control agency would you like pest control in your home?”
“Anupam Kher stop harassing me”— भारत माता की जय (@kanikagahlaut) February 22, 2016
As @AnupamPkher hails “pest” control, Col Landa, Inglourious Basterds: Jews are rats, why we hate rats not squirrels https://t.co/2HwqvvEohD
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) February 21, 2016
Public service announcement for Anupam Kher: This is what pest control looks like. 1. pic.twitter.com/tWIC45wNjy
— Amitava Kumar (@amitavakumar) February 21, 2016
The serious ones which likened his tweet to Hitler’s jargon
@GauravPandhi The rhetoric “Pest Control” is one of the fav in Hitler’s Mein Kampf. #Shame @AnupamPkher pic.twitter.com/pv4lKmtRRT
— Dharmesh Dixit (@theDDixit) February 20, 2016
Dear @AnupamPkher “pest control” was euphemism for ethnic cleansing in Nazi Germany. true colours,
via @priyankac19 pic.twitter.com/bJ3LQqRIje— Bodhisattva Sen Roy (@insenroy) February 20, 2016
And, the brainy one
Ingesting pest control spray is injurious to the brain https://t.co/EBkSE2PUWs
— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) February 21, 2016