SRINAGAR: The controversy surrounding Dangal’s teen star from Kashmir, Zaira Wasim, refuses to die down.
On Friday, a group of youth outside Srinagar’s Grand Mosque were seen carrying posters with a photograph showing Zaira with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that carried the slogan: “Justice with you is to kill you”.
Another read, “Dear Zaira, we don’t disrespect you… but the pride and role model of Kashmir is sister Insha”. Insha Malik is a 14-year-old girl from Shopian who was blinded by pellets during last year’s Kashmir unrest.
The areas surrounding Jamia Masjid, north-western Sopore and parts of the Valley saw protests during a shutdown called by separatists Friday.
Earlier during the day, Zaira took on Union sports minister Vijay Goel after he sought to draw comparison between a burkha-clad woman’s painting and her. She said she should not be connected with such a “discourteous depiction”. Goel in a tweet had said, “This painting tells a story similar to @zairawasim. Our girls are breaking out from cages and moving ahead. More power to our daughters!”
Zaira, 16, replied, “@VijayGoelBJP Sir, with all respect to you, I feel I must disagree. I request you not to connect me to such a discourteous depiction”.
