‘Dangal’ girl Zaira gets support from Asiya Andrabi’s son

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 21

“Dangal” actress Zaira Wasim, who is in news for her apology letter and hitting back at Sports Minister Vijay Goel for an unsolicited tweet, has got support from a rare and unexpected quarter.

Hardline Kashmiri woman separatist leader Asiya Andrabi’s son Muhammad Bin Qasim has come out openly in support of Zaira. Muhammad, who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he is pursuing MBA, hit out at those people in Kashmir who burnt Zaira’s posters, saying it was their moral responsibility to stand by her and make her feel safe.

“I do not know #Zaira Wasim personally but after reading her posts and recent tweets, I must say she is a girl of substance. I am not posting this status to applaud her brilliant performance in Dangal, but how she stood up against hypocrite and biased people around us - especially Indian media and Indian citizens after meeting Mehbooba,” Muhammad wrote in his Facebook post.

Zaira, who plays wrestling champ Geeta Phogat in “Dangal”, had recently issued an apology for meeting J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti after she was trolled and abused on social media. This created a flurry of support for the young Kashmiri actress.

“It was our moral responsibility to stand by her and make her feel safe after she posted an apology, instead some nonsense people burned down her pictures. Such a disgrace and shame. I am not saying that working in Bollywood is right or something we should encourage, rather we should invite this 16-year-old girl towards righteousness and guide her. Not burn her pictures.” the post-graduate son of Asiya Andrabi further wrote.

He even castigated the people in the Kashmir valley for burning down her posters. “This has to stop, JAAHIL QAWM hae kashmir. We are only pushing her away.#Zaira is an intelligent, bright and awesome kid who needs us!,” he added.

However, Muhammad Bin Qasim, too was hounded on social media for calling Kashmiris “illiterate”, and later had to issue a clarification.

“To anyone who got offended with my “Jaahil Qawm” comment, it was not directed towards everyone. I was referring to the people who burnt down picture of 16-year-old girl after she defended ‘hijab’, Muhammad wrote.