In a rare television appearance on Aap Ki Adalat, Aamir Khan addressed the public criticism regarding his meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and First Lady Emine Erdogan. Speaking candidly with host Rajat Sharma, Khan defended the intentions behind those meetings and voiced strong disapproval of Turkey’s recent actions perceived as anti-India, supporting the Boycott Turkey campaign.

The controversy stems from Khan’s visits to Turkey in 2017 and 2020, during which he met with the country’s top leadership, including the Prime Minister. These meetings were recently met with significant backlash, particularly after Turkey expressed support for Pakistan on geopolitical issues, including defense cooperation.

Responding to Sharma’s question about Turkey’s alleged support to Pakistan with combat drones, Khan acknowledged the shift in political dynamics and expressed his disappointment.

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“Turkey has done the wrong thing (Turkey ne bahut galat kiya), and every Indian is hurt,” he said. “During the 2023 earthquake in Turkey, the Indian government was the first to send humanitarian aid. At that time, neither I nor our government knew what Turkey would do later.”

Khan clarified that his interaction with Turkish leaders had no political motive and occurred in a very different geopolitical context.“When I met President Erdogan, I did not know that his country would support actions against India seven years later,” he explained.

He emphasised that, as a public figure, accepting diplomatic invitations is often seen as a gesture of goodwill.
“When someone tells me that you will come for tea, it does not feel right for me to say no,” he said, adding that he was simply fulfilling his role as an informal cultural ambassador for India.

The actor also used the platform to speak against religious profiling and communal violence, highlighting the broader implications of hatred based on identity.

“You are shooting at common citizens, you are shooting at the people of the family. I could have been there, you could have been there. And you are shooting at them by questioning their religion. What does this mean?” he questioned, urging the public to think beyond religious divisions.

Touching on the widespread boycott of Turkish products and tourism among Indian consumers, Khan expressed his support for the sentiment, saying it was a natural reaction to betrayal.

“They are doing the right thing. We must not support a country that is siding with those who attack us,” he said. He further added, “We extended friendship during their time of need, and in return, they supported Pakistan. Bahut hi galat baat hai.”

Khan concluded with a strong message of solidarity with fellow Indians:

“Very right. We should not support Turkey at all. When they are attacking us, when they are helping us in Pakistan… What is this? This is wrong. Very wrong.”

Aamir Khan’s appearance on Aap Ki Adalat was one of his most direct public statements on both the Turkey issue and broader national concerns.