Shabana Azmi said she didn't realise she was so important in the eyes of the right wing (File)

Actor Shabana Azmi, who is being trolled on social media for her comment that those who criticise the government are branded "anti-nationals", has attacked religious fundamentalists in a tweet.

"So much uproar over my one remark? Didn't realise I was so important in the eyes of the right wing," she wrote on Twitter.

"Muslim fundos (fundamentalists) also passed a fatwa against me for shaving my head for Deepa Mehta's film 'Water', to which Javed Akhtar's response on the record was shut up. All fundos are mirror images of each other," she added.

Id like to remind pple that my father @AzmiKaifi RETURNED his Padmashri when Congress was at the Centre in protest against a UP minister who had said that those asking for Urdu to get 2nd language status shud b paraded on a donkey with their faces blackened. — Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) July 9, 2019

Ms Azmi, who has often been under fire from right-wing users on social media for speaking on national issues, made the remark at an event in Indore on Saturday.

"It is always necessary that we point out our flaws for the betterment of our country. If we do not, how can our conditions improve? But the atmosphere is such that if we criticise the government we are branded as anti-nationals. We should not be afraid, nobody needs their certificate," Ms Azmi had said without naming any political party.

So much uproar over my 1 remark?Didnt realise I was so important in d eyes of d right wing Muslim fundos also passed fatwa against me 4shaving my head for @IamDeepaMehta film ‘Water'2which @Javedakhtarjadu response on record was SHUT UP.All fundos r mirror images of each other — Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) July 9, 2019

Reaction on her comment, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday called Ms Azmi the "new leader of 'tukde tukde' and 'award wapsi' gang", accusing her of subverting India's interests by criticising the government.

Mr Singh, known for controversial comments and often targeting minorities, was referring to terms used by right-wing commentators against their left-wing counterparts, accusing them of separatism and selective outrage.

Ms Azmi on Monday said her criticism of the government was not reserved to the BJP alone and that she had criticised the Congress when it was in power over the murder of playright Safdar Hashmi in 1989.