NEW DELHI- India’s Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla on Friday criticisedPakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif for his reported statement thatBollywood star Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in jail in ablackbuck poaching case, as he hails from the minority community. She saidthat the Pakistan foreign minister has no business to interfere in India’sinternal affairs.
Heptulla told newsmen at Raj Bhavan here that in this country, individualsirrespective of religion, caste and creed, are punished on the basis of thecrimes committed by them and there is no segregation based on “minority” or“majority” as claimed by the Pakistan minister. If the actor made amistake, he has to pay the price, Heptulla added.
“India has her own Constitution, laws and can solve its own problem,” shetold newsmen at Raj Bhavan here. Her reaction came after Khwaja Asif hadreportedly told a Pakistan TV news channel on Thursday that Salman wassentenced to five years in jail by a Jodhpur court as he hails from theminority community.ADVERTISEMENT
India has not interfered into the affairs of the neighbouring country, shesaid adding that Pak should concern itself with its own problems and notbother with the internal affairs of India. “Pak has no right to interferein the country’s internal affairs. We can take care of our problems and wehave proper Constitution and laws,” Heptulla said.
Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in jail and fined Rs 10,000 by aJodhpur court in connection with the killing of two blackbucks near Jodhpurin October 1998, while he and a group of other actors were in Rajasthan forthe shooting of the film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.