Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, sweeping through college campuses across the country after the violence at Jamia University, is the latest controversy to divide the film fraternity, where some voices are louder than most and at the top, there is mostly silence.
Bollywood celebrities continued to extend support to students of Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University all through Tuesday even as many of them lashed out at the government over rising anti-CAA tension all over the country.
This has gone too far.. can’t stay silent any longer . This government is clearly fascist .. and it makes me angry to see voices that can actually make a difference stay quiet ..
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) December 16, 2019
Ayushmann Khurrana posted a message on Twitter, preaching non-violence. His message reads: "Deeply disturbed about what the students went through and I strongly condemn this. All of us have the right to protest and excercise our fundamental freedom of expression. However, protests also cannot turn violent and lead to destruction of public property. That simply is counterproductive. Dear countrymen, this is the land of Gandhi. Ahimsa is and should be the tool to express. Have faith in democracy."
If this is what’s gonna happen everytime a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC.
— Parineeti Chopra (@ParineetiChopra) December 17, 2019
Others were more direct in their assertion. Parineeti Chopra tweeted: "If this is what's gonna happen everytime a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC."
I strongly condemn the violence that the police have shown in dealing with the students. In a democracy the citizens have the right to peacefully protest.I also condemn any kind of act of destruction of the public properties. Violence is not the solution for anything!
— Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) December 16, 2019
Swara Bhasker supported her tweet by writing, "Well said Parineeti".
Shocking messages of violence, tear gassing from #Jamia in #Delhi ! Why are students being treated like criminals? Why are hostels being tear gassed.. ??? What is going on #DelhiPolice ???? Shocking and shameful! #CABProtests
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) December 15, 2019
Vicky Kaushal tweeted: "What is happening is not okay. The way it's happening is not okay. People have every right to peacefully voice their opinion. This violence and disruption is both saddening and concerning as a fellow citizen. In no circumstance, must our faith in democracy be shaken."
What is happening is not okay. The way it’s happening is not okay. People have every right to peacefully voice their opinion. This violence and disruption is both saddening and concerning as a fellow citizen. In no circumstance, must our faith in democracy be shaken. 🇮🇳
— Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) December 16, 2019
Bhumi Pednekar tweeted: "Violence is not a tool to make our country better. We are a democracy and we have the power to exercise our fundamental rights in a rightful manner. What the students faced has shaken me and my heart goes out to them and I protest the way the situation was handled."
The actress also claimed in a separate tweet that instead of protesting in a violent manner, we should keep our faith in democracy alive.
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.
— manoj bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) December 16, 2019
With the students and their democratic rights to protest ! I condemn violence against protesting students!!!!!
"However, I'm also shocked seeing how the protest turned violent. Let's aim to make our country better through dialogue, debate and dissent and keep our faith in democracy alive."
*Yes Modiji we can identify people doing violent acts from their clothes* pic.twitter.com/eI0Va2hgsS
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) December 17, 2019
Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava tweeted: "Nothing can justify what has happened to the students. The broken legs, the lost eye, the assaults in the darkness, the barbaric beating up of the innocent, the vandalising of a space of learning, the invasion of the student hostels. History will remember."
Sidharth Malhotra tweeted: "My heart goes out to all the students back home in Delhi. In a democracy like ours, its sad to see violence against citizens for voicing their opinion through peaceful protests. There should be no place for violence of any form & intent in our country. I strongly condemn this act."
Veteran actor Saurabh Shukla tweeted: "What we are going through is #Shameful Stop #Violence Stop #dirtypolitcs Stop #silence Please Stop! Condemn brutality against #StudentsProtest."
We are with the students! Shame on you @DelhiPolice
— Konkona Sensharma (@konkonas) December 15, 2019
Hansal Mehta voiced his opinion through a series of tweets. The filmmaker wrote: "India is burning. Oppression, repression and violence of any kind must be condemned. It must be met with non-violent protest and non-cooperation. I salute those bravehearts who are raising their voices inspite of the looming threat of persecution."
"And I stand in solidarity with all those who protest peacefully. And I condemn all those who seek to quash these protests by violent means."
"Now is the time for empathy and understanding. Now is the time to take the discussion to the people. Now is the time to find out why they are protesting. This is not the time for authoritarianism. Your understanding will make you more powerful. Your power will make you weaker."
कितना झूठ बोलता है @AmitShah । इतना बड़ा झूठा home मिनिस्टर कहीं नहीं देखा । कश्मीर में प्रॉब्लम नहीं है । कहीं प्रॉब्लम नहीं है। सब चंगा सी ।।। साफ़ साफ़ बोल दो . जो हिंदू राष्ट्र नहीं चाहता चले जाए । है हिम्मत तो बोल दो PM @narendramodi और HM @AmitShah जी । चले जाएँगे ।। https://t.co/BctUZZwYYf
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) December 17, 2019
Riteish Deshmukh posted a message on Twitter which reads: "I stand in solidarity with the students protesting peacefully. What makes our country great is that every voice is heard, be it of one person or thousands. I do not support any kind of violence. We are and have always been proud of our Police Force but this time they should have been more compassionate while assessing and tackling the situation. Our students didn't deserve this."
— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) December 16, 2019
Nimrat Kaur tweeted: "Suspend. Rape. Burn. Clash. Mob. Violence. Ban. Lynch. Curfew. Silence. Protest. India."
Huma Qureshi tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah in her tweet which reads: "This is unreal. We are a secular democracy. This violence that the police have shown in dealing with the students is terrible. Citizens have the right to peacefully protest. @narendramodi @AmitShah Or that is not an option anymore ??"
Manoj Bajpayee also voiced his protest via Twitter. He wrote: "There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. With the students and their democratic rights to protest ! I condemn violence against protesting students!!!!!"
Dia Mirza also expressed on Twitter that she stands in solidarity with the students of India. She wrote: "The student protests across the country is a tipping point in our democracy. Seeing videos of peacefully protesting students being dragged and beaten up is a visual that will be hard to forget.
In fact, one that we should not forget. These young students are doing what we should have done for them. India is for one and all. I stand with all the students who have been forcefully stopped from upholding the very principles that we hold dear. It's ironic that the young can see what those we entrusted our freedom with, can't. This is not the time to sit back. Let's stand united to save the idea of India."
Aayush Sharma also tweeted: "Let's protect the fundamentals of the Indian constitution. My heart goes out to the students of Jamia."
Its funny,i felt hey ali lets play it safe all these years. And now i cant. a lot of my colleagues may not speak up at all.But i pray we all realise there is no job no career above humanity. socho, aur time kam hai toh act fast.irrespective of your political ideologies right now
— Ali Fazal M / میر علی فضل / अली (@alifazal9) December 16, 2019
I cant sleep while my country burns . @DelhiPolice @ArvindKejriwal sir can you not release orders to stop this with immediate effect. God i sound like a moron begging on twitter.
— Ali Fazal M / میر علی فضل / अली (@alifazal9) December 16, 2019
Those who have been silent till now have been called out in tweets, even from within the fraternity.
"On behalf of the students of Jamia and AMU, request at least one of you to tweet or message Mr.Modi condemning this act of police brutality and violence against students. The time has come to speak up guys. Yes? No? May be," tweeted actor Sayani Gupta along with the famous star-studded selfie of film celebrities with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tagging Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Ayushmann Khurana and Rajkummar Rao. The last two have commented.
Shah Rukh Khan -- an alumnus of Jamia -- and Aamir Khan were nudged by tweets like that of Kannan Gopinathan, who quit the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) over the restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Dear Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, You know that people look up to you, right. Millions of us. Your silence is now getting deafening," tweeted Mr Gopinathan.
Dear @iamsrk, @aamir_khan... You guys know that people look up to you right. Millions of us.
Your silence is now getting deafening.
Whatever GoI is threatening you with, your silence is going to cost you so much more. Love & respect you guys earned with your hardwork!#NoToCAB
WATCH: They are making a fool of you for their entertainment. They don’t have any work to show, Kashmir, Pak issues have now failed so to keep fooling u they r coming up with all such divisive things. Don’t get fooled, stand united: Actor Muhammad Zeeshan Ayub! #ThoughtProvoking pic.twitter.com/MBqXz3ELCJ
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) December 17, 2019
Radio jockey and actor Roshan Abbas also has questioned the silence of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan over the violence against students of Jamia Milia Islamia in Delhi.
Abbas on Tuesday took to Twitter and asked him who has made him quiet.
"Say something @iamsrk you are from Jamia too. Who has made you so quiet? #IStandWithJamiaMilliaStudents," Abbas tweeted.
Protestors in Seelampur in North East Delhi hitting the police.
— Marya Shakil (@maryashakil) December 17, 2019
Who are these protestors indulging in these provocations? Absolutely condemnable. #CAA2019 pic.twitter.com/X8HgIB9YRC
A string of Bollywood celebrities including Rajkummar Rao, Taapsee Pannu, Alankrita Shrivastava, Richa Chadha, Anubhav Sinha, Anurag Kashyap and Parineeti Chopra have posted opinions all through Monday on the amended Citizenship Act (CAA) and the countrywide tension it has unleashed, which was triggered off after Sunday's protests at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University.
However, Bollywood bigwigs like Amitabh Bachchan, SRK, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have not taken a stand yet. Akshay Kumar liked a tweet related to Jamia and then came out to say he had done so by mistake, thereby drawing widespread flak on social media.
Abbas's tweet comes in the wake of severe protests against CAA, which continues in different parts of the country including Delhi, Assam, Hyderabad, Aligarh and Kolkata.
The contentious Act, passed in the winter session of Parliament seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities coming from neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
Aruni Kashyap, a writer, posted the same picture and tweeted: "Prime Minister's Friends: Every actor, singer, celebrity from Assam on the street, protesting CAA. And these Bollywood stars are still silent because they are worried about their box office returns. Students are getting beaten up all over the country, at least raise your voice!"
One of the bigger stars that did comment on the Jamia violence was Akshay Kumar, but a controversy broke out as he said he had accidentally "liked" a tweet on the violence on campus.
Regarding the ‘like’ on the tweet of Jamia Milia students, it was by mistake. I was scrolling and accidentally it must have been pressed and when I realised I immediately unliked it as In no way do I support such acts.
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 16, 2019
South mega star-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, asked about the silence, said today that it was because "more and more voices are being stifled".
Actor-turned-politician #KamalHaasan voices his support for students protesting against the #CitizenshipAmendmentAct.
— The Quint (@TheQuint) December 17, 2019
For more updates: https://t.co/coxKln6T6N pic.twitter.com/iI3pmYjv3p
Another film giant from the south, Rajinikanth, who announced his political debut two years ago, also remained cautiously silent on the citizenship protests. "This is a cinema function. I don't want to mix politics and cinema," he told reporters on Monday at a trailer launch.
Kudos to Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap & Mahesh Bhat for speaking out on this issue of CAA which threatens our Republic. Wish some more biggies of Bollywood would also show some courage & spine https://t.co/9RVSgPeOcc
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) December 16, 2019