Hema Malini's flip-flop on Pakistani artiste ban: Now, actress-MP says she supports it

Mumbai: A day after she declined to give a categorical answer, BJP MP and veteran actress Hema Malini on Wednesday said she was against Pakistani artistes working in India. [caption id=“attachment_3035714” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Hema Malini. File photo/AFP[/caption] “I would like to say that I am 100 per cent with our jawans (soldiers) who are fighting and dying for our country and do not support Pakistan artistes working here. Jai Hind!” Hema tweeted on Wednesday. The 67-year-old actress lauded the Indian Army for carrying out surgical strikes on terror launch pads along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistani territory last month. “Our army has done a great job with the surgical strikes and the whole country should be supportive of them. Why ask for proof of action? Unheard of!” she added. On Tuesday, however, Hema Malini said she appreciated the work of Pakistani actors and didn’t say if they should be allowed to work in India or not. Asked about her view on the ban on Pakistani artistes in India, the Lok Sabha member from Mathura said: “I don’t want to comment much on this controversial question. But all I can say is that we are artistes and so are those who come from there (Pakistan) to perform here. “As an artiste, I can appreciate their work. But whether they should stay here or not, I can’t comment.” The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association has passed a resolution deciding to ban Pakistani artistes from working in Indian movies until tensions between the two countries subside, following a terror attack on an Indian Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir that left 19 soldiers dead. Here’s the tweet from Wednesday:

I wud like to say tht I am 100% with our jawans who are fighting & dying for our ctry & do not support Pak artistes workg here. Jai Hind!

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) October 5, 2016