Bollywood actor Salman Khan would have received a more lenient jail sentence if he "belonged to the religion of the ruling party of India," believes Pakistan Foreign Minister.
Kwaja Asif Abbas on Thursday told Geo News that Khan has been sentenced because he was a minority. Calling the sentence discriminatory, Abbas told the news channel that to sentence the Bollywood actor in a 20-year-old case shows that India does not value the lives of minorities.
"May be if he belonged to the religion of the ruling party of India he would not have been given such a harsh sentence and the court might have been lenient with him," said Abbas.
Khan was sentenced to five years in prison and he was also fined Rs 10,000. However, other Bollywood actors involved in the case, including Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari, were acquitted.
Abbas is not the only one unhappy with Khan's sentence. Quite a number of celebrities have come forward calling the sentence unfair.
Calling for a need to update India's legal system, Raj Kundra said: "Such outdated archaic laws in India that really need to be changed! Parts of our legal system needs a revisit! Any1 can file a case on anyone! One court says not guilty other says guilty! People thrown from court to court! @BeingSalmanKhan doesn’t deserve this at all! Ridiculous."
Bajrangi Bhaijaan director Kabir Khan echoed similar sentiments, tweeting: "Feeling very sad that Salman Khan has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for allegedly shooting a black buck. 5 years! The length of sentence seems excessive and must be appealed. @BeingSalmanKhan has all my sympathy and support. #WeLoveYouSalmanKhan."
Simi Garewal, meanwhile, believes Khan wan’t the guy who shot the endangered blackbuck. She wrote: “Of one thing I am dead sure..@BeingSalmanKhan would NEVER EVER harm any animal. He loves them too much. The real culprit should be exposed. 20 years is too long to bear someone else’s cross..”
