A group of 49 eminent personalities, including filmmakers, authors and actors, wrote to the prime minister on Tuesday, expressing concern over the recent instances of mob violence and lynching in the country. Photo credit: Instagram.

Kolkata, July 25

Actor Kaushik Sen, who is one of the signatories of the letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of mob violence, said on Thursday that he has received a threat call.

Police have been informed about it and the phone number has been forwarded to them, he said.

“Yesterday I received a call from an unknown number, where I was threatened of dire consequences if I don’t stop raising my voice against lynchings and intolerance. I was told that I would be killed if I don’t mend my ways,” Sen told PTI.

A senior police officer said the matter was being looked into.

“To be honest, I am not bothered about such calls. I have also informed other signatories about the call and forwarded them the number,” Sen said.

A group of 49 eminent personalities, including filmmakers, authors and actors, wrote to the prime minister on Tuesday, expressing concern over the recent instances of mob violence and lynching in the country.

The signatories also said that they regretted that “Jai Shri Ram” has been reduced to a “provocative war cry that leads to law and order problems, and lynchings take place in its name”. PTI

Lynchings in Ram’s name: Celebs to PM

Say democracy can’t exist without dissent

New Delhi, July 24

Fortynine celebrities, including artistes, have written a letter to PM Narendra Modi urging him to stop “religion-based hate crimes” and lamenting “Jai Shri Ram had been reduced to a provocative war cry with lynchings happening in its name”.

The letter, signed by the likes of Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Aparna Sen, Ramachandra Guha, Ashish Nandy, Anurag Kashyap, Konkona Sen and Mani Ratnam, among others, seeks answers from the government on steps being taken to stop hate crimes.

“These are not the Middle Ages! The name of Ram is sacred to many in the majority community of India. As the highest executive of this country, you must stop name of Ram being defiled in this manner,” it said. “No ruling party is synonymous with the country where it is in power. Democracy can’t exist without dissent,” they wrote, noting anti-government stand shouldn’t be equated to anti-national sentiments. — TNS