E-Paper
Twitter storm after actor stops at JNU; Javadekar comes to her defence
A day after actor Deepika Padukone attended a public meeting called to protest the mob violence in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the university’s students’
A day after actor Deepika Padukone attended a public meeting called to protest the mob violence in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the university’s students’ union thanked her for showing solidarity, even as some critics called for boycotting her latest film.
“In times of crisis, women stand beside each other. Women revolt. Women march on the streets. Women are the leaders of this country. Thank you, @deepikapadukone,” the JNU students’ union (JNUSU) tweeted from its official handle.
“We condemn the hate being spewed against Deepika Padukone. It is a sad testament to where we stand as a society. Deepika came and stood with us, the injured and terrified students of JNU. It was an act of humane concern. We thank her,” JNUSU later tweeted in response to several people, including sympathisers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, which the JNUSU blames for an attack on the campus on January 5, accusing Padukone of trying to promote her film Chhapaak, which releases Friday.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga tweeted, “RT if you will Boycott Movies of @deepikapadukone for her Support to #TukdeTukdeGang and Afzal Gang.”
On Twitter, campaigns in favour and against Padukone read “#ISupportDeepika” and “#boycottChhaapaak”.
Several people, including the JNU VC Jagadesh and Union minister Praskash Javadekar, were forced to react to the actor’s visit.
“This country is a democracy. Why only artistes, even a common can go anywhere and express his opinion,” PTI quoted information and broadcasting minister Javadekar as saying on Wednesday during a Cabinet briefing.
“I would like to ask all those great personalities coming to support the agitators -- what about thousands of students and teachers who are deprived of their right to do research and teaching? Why can’t you stand with them,” JNU V-C Jagadesh Kumar told ANI when asked about Padukone’s visit to the campus.
On Tuesday, the actor had stood by as JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, who was injured in Sunday’s attack in the university, and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar made impassioned speeches.
“ I feel proud about it that people are coming out -- be it on the streets or wherever they are -- they are raising their voice and expressing themselves as it is important. If we want to see change in life and society, it is important that a point of view be put forward,” Padukone told NDTV about her solidarity with the JNU students.
Members of the film fraternity also rallied behind Padukone.
Director Anurag Kashyap changed his Twitter avatar to a picture of Padukone with Ghosh.
“The female of the species is, and was, and will always be the strongest of the two #DeepikaPadukone . Chhapak first day all shows,” he tweeted.
She also got support from colleague Sonakshi Sinha and director-producer Mahesh Bhatt.
