India has always been tolerant but some Hindu groups behaving like Muslim fundamentalists: Javed Akhtar

Delhi: In a statement which may not go down well with some people, Bollywood lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has said that some Hindu groups were behaving like Muslim fundamentalists.

He also said that Indian society had always been tolerant, barring such elements.

Akhtar was quoted by India Today as saying - "In 1975 I showed a comedy scene in a temple. Today I won't. But even in 1975, I wouldn't have shown a scene in a mosque because that level of intolerance was there. Now the other one is matching it. Now they are joining the club, its a tragedy. Don't say Hindu. That's a wrong representation. Some Hindu groups."

He made the comments at a literary meet here on Tuesday night. It was a panel discussion on intolerance.

At the same time he pointed out that Aamir Khan's Hindi film 'PK' was successful because of the Hindu community.

"I really wonder in any Islamic country you would make the same kind of film by taking Muslim symbols will become superhit," Akhtar was quoted as saying.

The website further quoted him as follows - "There are people who say intolerance has risen to a dangerous level in the society. I don't believe it. There are people who say there is no intolerance in the society. I don't believe them either. The fact lies somewhere in between. The fact is that Indian society is and was always tolerant. There are certain segments of society, they are always at war."

On the 'award wapasi' campaign by some writers the screenwriter, who he has refused to return his Sahitya Akademi award, said - "Because I know that this award was given to me by writers so why should I return it?"