Chandigarh, October 26
In a surprising twist that quickly set the Internet abuzz, Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor's recent acquisition of a sleek red Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica, worth a staggering Rs. 4 crore, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, triggered an unexpected controversy. The controversy gained traction due to Kapoor's previous involvement in protests against the construction of a Metro car shed in Mumbai's Aarey forest belt back in 2019.
Kapoor's active participation in environmental protests, notably her wearing a 'Save Aarey' t-shirt during the demonstrations, was brought back into the spotlight in response to her luxurious new purchase. Social media promptly ignited with debates about what some perceived as a stark contradiction between her activism and her choice to own a high-end, diesel-consuming sports car.
To put it in perspective, the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica boasts an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency of 7 kilometers per liter of diesel consumption. However, given the traffic conditions in Mumbai, the car's real-world fuel efficiency in the city drops to a range of 3 to 4 kilometers per liter. Shraddha's previous vehicle choices were not known for their fuel efficiency either. This information became a focal point of online criticism, and social media platforms were flooded with images of her from the 2019 protest as netizens began to scrutinise her actions.
One comment on social media carried a tone of irony, saying, "@ShraddhaKapoor which fuel does this car use? Oxygen from the Aarey trees that you saved and delayed the project." Another person wrote, "I think we need to see the difference between a lifestyle choice and extravagance. Surely, no one expects protestors to wear a loincloth and ride a bicycle, but the optics of holding a 'Save Aarey' placard in one hand and the steering of a fuel guzzler in another is not pretty." Yet another quipped, "The mileage of a Lambo would be 5-6 kmpl. Madam ji was part of the Aarey protest, effectively delaying public transport for millions."
In October 2019, Kapoor had vocally opposed the felling of trees in Aarey and had taken to Instagram, stating, "This is wrong and should not be happening," and "Mumbaikars, wake up." She had also attended protest.
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