Shashi Tharoor shares Amitabh Bachchan's 2012 police action tweet amid CJP protest
As the political row over the police crackdown on students protesting the NEET paper leak continued, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday reposted a 2012
As the political row over the police crackdown on students protesting the NEET paper leak continued, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday reposted a 2012 tweet by actor Amitabh Bachchan that criticised police action against protesters in Delhi during the UPA government's tenure. Tharoor shared the post on X without adding any comment of his own. The 2012 tweet read: "T 970 - Pained and horrified to see what unfolds in Delhi.. peaceful protest being met with tear gas and water canons!!" Read Full Story Bachchan had shared the message during the nationwide outrage following the December 2012 Delhi gangrape case, when protesters clashed with police near India Gate and Raisina Hill.
Whether intended as a reminder, a question or a political contrast, Tharoor's repost has once again put the spotlight on Bollywood's response during moments of public unrest. Unlike in 2012, when several film personalities publicly reacted to the protests in Delhi, much of the film industry has remained silent on the latest agitation. A handful of actors, including Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj and Swara Bhasker, have spoken out and visited Jantar Mantar in support of the protesters. Others, including Huma Qureshi, Soni Razdan, Zeenat Aman, Abhay Deol, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Omi Vaidya and Sonakshi Sinha, have expressed solidarity with the students and raised concerns over the use of force against them.
Actors Preity Zinta and Bhumi Pednekar, while not taking an overt political position, said violence could not be the answer and urged that the focus remain on students affected by shortcomings in the examination and education system. Comedian Kunal Kamra also visited the protest site. Tharoor's repost comes a day after high political drama unfolded outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, where Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several Opposition leaders staged a surprise sit-in demanding the Prime Minister's resignation over the police action against students.
The protest ended with Delhi Police detaining Rahul Gandhi and several Opposition leaders after talks with the Centre failed. Gandhi later accused the government of silencing students and suppressing democratic dissent. Ends
The BriefWire