Rise & Fall: Shehzad Poonawalla reflects on Siwet Tomar’s eviction, says ‘in the land of Mahatma Gandhi violence can never be a solution’

Mumbai, Nov 6 (IANS) Political analyst and Rise and Fall 2 winner Shehzad Poonawalla reflected on the controversy that led to fellow contestant Siwet Tomar’s eviction from the reality show.

The political analyst said that violence can never be a solution, particularly in “the land of Mahatma Gandhi”.

Asked about his dramatic journey on the show and the conflict that led to Siwet’s exit, Shehzad said he did not want to revisit the episode or assign blame. He added that he had already forgiven those involved and considered the chapter closed.

Talking to IANS exclusively, he said, “I don’t think there is any need for me to offer my perspective on that now. They were evicted because of their actions in the show, and I had already forgiven them at that time. For me, that chapter is closed, and I don’t want to give it any more importance, especially on such a wonderful day.

He added, “I would only say that in our democracy and the land of Mahatma Gandhi, violence can never be a solution. We should use words, not violence. If someone repeatedly resorts to violence on a show, it reflects a lack of intellectual and verbal strength. It suggests that physical power is the only tool they have. I believe such behaviour should be avoided.”

The remarks come weeks after Siwet was removed from Rise and Fall 2 following a physical confrontation with Shehzad. The two had initially planned to play the game together but their equation deteriorated during the Ultimate Ruler race.

Siwet was first identified as the weakest decision-maker and then chose Shehzad when given an opportunity to name another contestant he considered weak.

The tension between the two escalated further when Siwet was seen interacting with Swara Bhasker despite previously saying that he would not speak to her following her remarks on ‘Jauhar’.

Shehzad questioned the change in their equation, following which an argument broke out. The confrontation eventually turned physical, with Siwet grabbing Shehzad by the neck and pushing him down.

Shehzad was left injured and his clothes were torn during the altercation. Since physical violence was against the rules of the show, Siwet was removed from the competition.

Swara Bhasker and Karan Patel initially had objected to Siwet’s eviction and argued that Shehzad’s provocation had contributed to the escalation. They also chose to walk out alongside Siwet in protest.

–IANS

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