What say the stars?

Manpriya Singh

Unfortunately, silent protesters and police brutality is nothing new for India; having been well-acquainted with both since the times of struggle for Independence. However, what unfolded at Jamia Millia Islamia University makes things a lot more complex, opinions a lot more clashing and the classes, terribly divided.

“We are with you students, shame on you,” tagging Delhi Police, Konkana Sen Sharma made her stance as loud as she possibly could be on social media and as clear as a one-liner gets in front of 2.3 million Twitter followers. If they speak up, that’s a different story and if they don’t, an altogether another one.

But before we get to either of that, what makes the stars speak up? Social injustice, police brutality, or the apprehension as stated by very political Kamal Haasan, that, “Democracy is in dangerous ICU.”

Speaking up

Whether CAA is discriminatory is not the question, but can anyone object to openly if they want to? “It’s up to each individual to choose. I can’t force anyone to speak up,” but music sensation Arjun Kanungo knows when he decides to do it. “I will say that democracy only works when there is participation. If we want to live in a society that values free speech, we must show that we are willing to exercise it.”

They are very visible, but should they be very vocal too? Do they have the right to remain silent? Certainly not, if the people calling out to major Bollywood actors are to be believed. Especially with author Aruni Kashyap, along with the very famous selfie of PM with the stars: “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!”

Meanwhile, Rajkummar Rao, finally commented, “I strongly condemn the violence that the police have shown in dealing with students. In a democracy, the citizens have the right to peacefully protest… violence is not the solution for anything.”

Why so quiet?

And now all eyes on those who studied in the university and once upon a time could be found on the campus and its corridors, filmmaker Kabir Khan and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, have been called out, trolled, tagged for their silence that’s been interpreted as, ‘deafening.’

Each and every celebrity has the right to keep quiet, feels filmmaker Aditya Kripalani. “Just as one has the right to protest. Point is do they and their fame and position exist in a vacuum, divorced from the issues that plague the place they live in? Can they really act like it doesn’t and won’t soon? No. Today them. Tomorrow you. Conversely, when Aamir Khan’s home was stoned, no one stood by him. And everyone saw that. That when someone stands up, no one supports him.”

On December 19, there is a huge rally in Mumbai, of which, expectedly, a lot many stars would be a vocal part. Maybe, others on whom the spotlight firmly remains, join in there!

Ousted from Savdhaan India

Actor Sushant Singh has been ousted from the reality TV crime series Savdhaan India, which he was hosting on the channel Star Bharat. The reason being seen is his participation in recent anti-CAA protests in Mumbai. Sushant on Tuesday took to Twitter to share the news: “And, my stint with Savdhaan India has ended.” A Twitter user asked him: “The price you pay for speaking the truth?” To his, Sushant replied: “A very small price my friend. Otherwise how will you face Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru?” IANS

Individual choice

Dipannita Sharma, who hails from the North-East and has been pretty vocal about the issue, says, “Be it stars or people in the public eyes, eventually, each and everyone is a citizen of the country, hence the choice to voice an opinion is individual. Voicing one’s opinion is a personal choice whether you are a celeb or not, but I personally feel as a celebrity one must feel the urge to take some social responsibility

towards one’s own country and at least speak up when one feels strongly about something. But then again, as individuals who are in a position to have their voices heard, if they choose to remain silent on topics of urgent attention in the country, then, I personally feel, they are not being true to the people who have given you so much love. Me being vocal has also been an individual choice.”

Personal, with PM!

Kubbra Sait: “We don’t want your tweet. Like you don’t give a damn about ours. You need to stop this atrocity now. India is dying right now, and so is the spirit of this country.”

Sandhya Mridul: “Sir need of the hour is you call the police in the various states. And stop this violence. Tweet baad mein Kar Lena. Thank you.”

Kunal Kamra: “I think Modiji always went late to school so that he could avoid reciting the pledge… the letter ‘H’ in Narendra Damodardas Modi stands for Humanity”.

manpriya@tribunemail.com