Film maker Mahesh Bhatt on Tuesday said that "the deafening silence" maintained by the liberal class of Mumbai over hate campaign suggests it has accepted that the uni-directional narrative of RSS ideology will sooner or later take over the country. "It is nightmarish situation, a dark scenario," he said.

He, however, described as "courageous" the act of writers who are returning Sahitya Akademi award to protest attack on freedom of speech and growing intolerance in India under BJP led NDA government. Bhatt was in Lucknow to attend a meet on "Challenges to Pluralism in Indian society", organised by the Centre for Objective Research and Development (CORD).

Writers are expected to "rock the boat of power centers that see them as threats" and it is a "brave gesture" of protest that is creating waves, said Bhatt. "Pluralistic Indian space is being eroded slowly.The RSS has a single resolve - to tie down the nation as one story, which cannot and should not happen," he said.

Reacting on Naseeruddin Shah's opinion on social media, that asks litterateurs to use their pen more aggressively against the building communal setup, instead of returning awards, Bhatt said, "One cannot prescribe other people how they want to protest and I completely support their actions." Adding further he said, "These people are committed towards their work and if they are doing so within the sane parameters, then they have the right to do it."

He also expressed concern over the attack on free speech and the killings of Kalburgi, Pansare and Dabholkar, calling it a more pronounced "wrath of the establishment". "Anybody who questions the status quo has always been seen as a threat. We all have to be ready to bear the risks of consequences of our actions. I too had been targeted similarly in 2006 for speaking up my mind."

Bhatt recalled an incident of 1998 when he had made the autobiographical film, 'Zakhm' which contracted the right wing ideology. "The then Maharashtra chief minister told me after it that it seems I have an inner death wish, to be making such a film. He also questioned me how I hope to go unscathed. But that was my inner calling and my right to free space," he shared.