Javed Akhtar says nation is larger than politicians and political parties

Noted Urdu poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar has come down heavily on politicians saying that those who think they are bigger than the nation are wrong and should know that they do not build a nation but people of the country do.

Akhtar was speaking at Sahitya Aaj Tak. He rued the fact that some vested interests have misinterpreted the definition of nationalism.

"The interpretation of nationalism for some people is quite strange. They think that they are the nation. If you oppose them, then you become anti-national.

"These politicians are like the harvesting crop. They change when the crop changes. They don't stay here for eternity. The nation is larger than a political party and a politician. Any politician who thinks that he is the nation, then he is wrong," Akhtar said.

"This is a very sorry state of affairs that any Muslim is not considered an Indian. Tipu Sultan is not an Indian and if I do not agree with this thought, then I become anti-national. Then I am an anti-national," he said.

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