Padmaavat protests: Bollywood demands answers from BJP, Congress after Gurugram school bus attack

Bollywood celebrities such as Farhan Akhtar, Sudhir Mishra and Vishal Dadlani tweeted angry reactions to the attack on a school bus in Gurugram. The attack was carried out in violent protest against the film, Padmaavat.

Bollywood celebrities such as Farhan Akhtar, Sudhir Mishra and Vishal Dadlani strongly criticised the attack by Shri Rajput Karni Sena activists on a school bus carrying children and staff, terming it an act of “terrorism”.

Gurugram: A Haryana roadways bus set on fire by alleged activists of the Karni Sena, at NH-248 during a demonstration against the release of Padmaavat in Gurugram. (PTI)

In Gurugram, a school bus carrying children and staff was damaged in stone-pelting, though no one was said to be injured.

Here’s how the celebrities reacted:

Farhan Akhtar: Attacking a school bus is not an agitation. It is terrorism. The people who did it are terrorists. Please refer to them as such.

Prakash Raj: Children of my country shiver with fear and cry.... As Karni Sena attacks a school bus... The elected government looks the other way. The opposition party diplomatically reacts... Aren’t you all ashamed to trade our children’s safety for your vote bank politics?

Sudhir Mishra: Every act of benevolence or hatred these days is done to please a constituency. I want to know who are the people who support an attack on children.

Vishal Dadlani: Dear Narendra Modiji. Just today, in a BJP-run state, a bus full of school children were attacked by goons. This “discussion” has been on since November. Your governments in four states have been unable to contain a bunch of criminals. Could you please denounce them publicly, at least?

Anubhav Sinha: Dear Indian National Congress, we are as surprised by your quiet as we are about everyone else’s. Just so you know. A good opposition should be out there in the streets seeking justice. You are as responsible for this chaos as anyone else.

Raj Kundra: We call ourself progressive India?? Disgusted by this news! I would personally hang the culprits! Saving honour of your past you messing up your present and future and attack a bus full of kids? No real Rajput would do something so terrible! Shame on you!

Shirish Kunder: Whatever little honour was left, has also been lost by attacking a school bus of children.