‘Bigg Boss 17’ fame Soniya Bansal backs Sara Ali Khan amid Kedarnath row: ‘Faith is deeply personal’
Mumbai, Oct 30 (IANS) ‘Bigg Boss 17’ fame actress Soniya Bansal has come out in support of Sara Ali Khan amid the controversy surrounding the latter’s recent visit to the Kedarnath temple.
Questioning the criticism directed at Sara over her religious beliefs, Soniya said that faith is a personal matter and everyone should have the freedom to seek blessings without being judged. The actress also emphasized that love, humanity, and mutual respect should always take precedence over religious differences.
Speaking about the issue, Soniya told IANS, “Sara Ali Khan is such a wonderful actress, and she has always been someone who follows her heart. She has been to Kedarnath several times, and we must also remember that she has been a part of the film Kedarnath, which beautifully explored faith, love and humanity against the backdrop of the shrine. I don’t understand why something as personal as seeking blessings has to become a controversy. At the end of the day, she is a human being who wants to pray and find peace, just like anyone else.”
“Sometimes, I feel sad seeing how quickly we turn everything into a religious issue. Where are we heading as a society? What are we going to teach our children? Are we teaching them to love, accept and respect people, or are we teaching them to see differences first? The world is progressing, and yet we are still caught up in debates about Hindu and Muslim identities. I feel we need to move beyond this mindset,” she added.
Soniya further expressed that places of worship should be spaces of peace, devotion and acceptance. “If someone wants to bow their head in a temple, pray in a mosque or find peace in a church, why should that bother anyone? Every place of worship deserves respect, and every person deserves the freedom to pray. We are all human beings before anything else.”
Bansal went on to add, “I genuinely feel that love and humanity should be bigger than religious differences. If we cannot respect each other’s faith, then what kind of society are we building for the next generation?” Honestly, it hurts to see religion being used to question someone’s intentions. Faith is something deeply personal. Nobody knows what another person is feeling in their heart when they stand before God and ask for blessings. Sara is an actress who has entertained audiences and earned a place in people’s hearts through her work. She should be appreciated for her talent and the person she is, rather than being dragged into a controversy over a visit to a place of worship. I just hope we learn to spread more love and less hatred.”
Sara Ali Khan has sparked a debate following her recent visit to the Kedarnath temple, with an Islamic cleric reportedly issuing a fatwa over her temple visit. The actress was seen standing in the queue for darshan on October 25 and was later photographed outside the shrine with folded hands.
–IANS
ps/
