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Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has reacted sharply to the death of Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (retired) in Gaza while he was working for the United Nations.
Akhtar questioned the “indiscreet” attacks by Israel, adding that it would not be answerable to anyone.
He said that the country would, at most, issue an apology.
Kale, 46, died while he was going from war-torn Rafah to a hospital in Khan Younis in Gaza.
On Wednesday, India said it is “deeply saddened” over the death of Kale.
The ministry of external affairs (MEA) said India's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York as well as its mission in Tel Aviv and Ramallah are extending all assistance in the repatriation of mortal remains of Kale to India.
In November last year, Javed Akhtar slammed Israel for justifying bombing Palestinian territories.
He said in a post on X, “So now Israel is justifying its indiscriminate round the clock bombing on helpless civilians of Gaza by giving example of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . !!! .. and the so-called civilised world is listening . They are the same people who teach us human rights.”
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed his condolences to Kale's family.
Kale served in the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and retired two years ago to join the UN.
He was working as the Security Coordinator in the UN's Department of Safety and Security (DSS) and had joined two months ago.
His cousin Chinmay Ashok Kale said Anil was extremely patriotic and that his service to the nation ran in his blood.
The deputy spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General said in a statement, “The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of a United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) staff member and injury to another DSS staffer when their UN vehicle was struck as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah this morning.”
The statement added that Waibhav had recently joined the United Nations as a security service coordinator and had been stationed in Gaza for about a month.
The Secretary-General also strongly condemned all attacks on UN personnel and urged for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Source: Javed Akhtar's ‘Israel not answerable to…' post after Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale killed in Gaza