Aamir Khan shared that his earlier visit with Turkey’s president was part of a cultural exchange and not meant to send any political message.
Boycott Turkiye Movement
Aamir Khan, one of Bollywood’s most well-known actors, has spoken out after facing fresh criticism for his earlier meetings with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan. Responding to the growing pressure from right-wing voices in India, especially amid the Boycott Turkiye campaign, he shared a detailed explanation to clear the air.
Relations between India and Turkey grew tense once again, mostly because Turkey openly backed Pakistan after India carried out its recent Operation Sindoor. After officials from Turkey and Azerbaijan criticized the operation, many people in India turned to social media, joining the Boycott Turkiye movement by asking others to stop buying Turkish products and avoid travel or business with Turkey.
Photos from Aamir Khan’s visits in 2017 and 2020, showing him with Turkey’s President Erdoğan and his wife, have been circulated widely on social media. This has sparked criticism, mainly from Hindu nationalist groups, who have accused the actor of being too close to leaders of a country they consider unfriendly to India, especially in the context of the Boycott Turkiye campaign.
While appearing on the popular Indian TV show Aap Ki Adalat, Khan responded to the backlash by saying that his meetings with Turkish officials happened during a different time politically and were completely personal, without any political agenda.
Khan expressed his disappointment over Turkey’s recent support for Pakistan, saying, “Turkey’s choice was wrong, and it has hurt every Indian deeply.” He also reminded people that when the earthquake struck Turkey in 2023, India was quick to send aid. At that time, neither he nor the government could have imagined Turkey’s later stance.This only added fuel to the fire of the Boycott Turkiye calls.
He pointed out that the photos making the rounds are from his trip in 2017, and the meeting with the First Lady, which some claim is recent, actually happened before 2020. “I met them as a guest and an artist, not as a politician,” he explained. “When you’re invited for tea, you don’t just refuse.”
Khan stressed that he acted as a cultural ambassador, saying that such meetings are meant to build goodwill, not to take political sides. “When I travel overseas as an artist, I carry India’s spirit with me. That’s what those meetings were all about,” he explained.
Public Response and Calls for Boycott
In early May, India’s military operation was met with strong criticism from Turkey and Azerbaijan, which increased tensions in the region. Pakistan responded with what it described as a firm counterattack. Indian news reports say Pakistan may have used Turkish drones during this response, which has sparked more anger among the public and strengthened the Boycott Turkiye sentiment.
A growing number of Indian sellers have decided to stop selling Turkish goods like apples, marble, and textilesas part of the Boycott Turkiye movement. At the same time, travel agencies are noticing more people canceling their plans to visit Turkey.
In his speech on television, Aamir Khan spoke openly about the increasing divide between different communities in India. He spoke against the unfair treatment and violence people face just because of their religion. He said, “When someone’s belief is used as a reason to hurt them, what does that tell us about ourselves? It could happen to any one of us me, you, or anyone else.”
He asked everyone to leave their religious differences behind and come together to care for the country’s future.
Khan finished his speech with a sincere message about loyalty. He said, “We stood by them when they faced hard times, but they decided to support those who hurt us. That is not fair. We should not give any support to Turkey.” This statement came amid the ongoing Boycott Turkiye campaign.
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