Srinagar, Aug 17: Former actor Zaira Wasim has questioned the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board’s involvement in Independence Day celebrations at a Kashmir school, asking why young girls were made to perform on stage at an event held under its banner.
In a post on X on Sunday, Wasim, who shot to fame with the Aamir Khan-starrer “Dangal” in 2016 and then featured in 2017’s “Secret Superstar”, argued against children, particularly girls, participating in such public celebrations.
“Just came across a clip from a school somewhere in Kashmir. Independence Day celebrations held for or by the Waqf Board. I have a question.
“Isn’t waqf board a religious body entrusted with serving the Muslim Community and ideally doing so while upholding Islamic Values?” wrote the National Award-winning actor, who had announced her disassociation from acting in 2019 as it interfered with her faith and religion.
The 25-year-old said it was almost comical that an institution founded for religious and communal purpose did not pause to question an event that reduced children to performers.
“Why is the default way of involving children’ and particularly girls’ in public celebrations to make them dance to irrelevant songs? Why aren’t our institutions giving them something to think about, create, learn, discuss, build or contribute?” she asked.
She said Kashmir has a remarkable legacy of people who understood education as a means to enlighten minds, cultivate character and equip people with knowledge and spirituality.
“So if it’s an institution whose very existence is tied to religious purpose, you are tasked with the deeper work of strengthening the communities spiritually, morally, and intellectually,” she added.
The former actor said the subject of her post was not the children but the institutions that organise and facilitate such events.
“Children are often simply made to participate in whatever schools and institutions put before them. Perhaps that is the real tragedy here. The question is what an institution chooses to facilitate, endorse and place under its own banner,” she said.–(PTI)
