Salman Khan along with other stars performed at the recently concluded Saifai Mahotsav. The event drew a lot of flak from media and fans as the lavish mahotstav took place at the backdrop of Muzaffarnagar where the riot victims were suffering. The general perception was that the celebs should have been more sensitive towards them. The celebs on their part maintained that they were there for charity.
In a recent interview to Hindustan Times, Salman defended himselves. Here is what he had to say.
Please understand that actors are entertainers and our existence is because of our fans. We add cheer to their lives. Yet despite that, many of us do a lot of charity work. Other than donating our hard-earned money we also spend a lot of time going to charitable events, visiting ailing patients, cheering our soldiers on the border etc. Katrina Kaif gave Rs. 5 crore to charity this year, including Rs. 1 crore which came to my Being Human charity. I think we must acknowledge and respect these facts. In the fight between the media and the politicians, why bring us in the picture? We get paid from one particular person to enthral lakhs of fans waiting there to enjoy for a few hours. When Michael Jackson came here Sohail, Sanju (Sanjay Dutt), and I went to see him. Today we remember the concert. We try to give people the same thing. We take that trouble. They take back the pleasure of seeing their idol and hero who they will never get to see.
Earlier Salman had posted this on a social networking site.
Whenever I visit a place for a performance or a promotion, I see it as an opportunity to help the locals in the areas of healthcare or education. In Nagpur, on Sunday, Being Human pledged to fund 100 paediatric cardiac cases in Maharashtra State.
And in Etawah, Being Human, on behalf of all artists who performed yesterday, has committed to fund 200 paediatric heart surgeries in UP (there is already a wait list of 81 children we have received who are being moved to Fortis Hospital Gurgaon and their surgeries will get done by month end and Being Human is in touch with local NGOs and hospitals for their lists also).
We have also contributed Rs 25 lakh to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital for the purchase of an Echo Machine, Pediatric & neo natal ventilator and a portable X-ray machine for their paediatric cardiac ICU."
Do you think Salman and other stars are justified in doing so?