In recent weeks, a clear double standard has been noticed among Indian celebrities, particularly from Bollywood, as they vocally express concern over the situation in Gaza while remaining silent on the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh. This selective concern raises questions about why they speak out on some issues but stay quiet on others, making people wonder what really drives their public statements.
The ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, where thousands are being killed and women are subjected to heinous acts of sexual violence, has also not garnered the same level of attention from Bollywood as the conflict in Gaza. While social media was flooded with posts from Indian celebrities urging people to keep “all eyes on Rafah”, the silence on Bangladesh has been deafening. This selective empathy reveals a troubling double standard, where the plight of certain groups is highlighted based on global trends and financial incentives commonly known as a part of the “toolkit gang.”
This term, popularised during the farmers’ agitation and anti-CAA protests, refers to a coordinated effort by certain groups to shape public opinion through social media campaigns. Critics argue that Bollywood celebrities have become habitual participants in these campaigns, often tweeting or posting not out of genuine concern but for monetary gain or to align with certain political narratives.
One of the few exceptions in this scenario is Preity Zinta, who has raised her voice in support of the persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh. Her stance is in stark contrast to the majority of Bollywood. Preity Zinta’s outspoken support for the Bangladeshi Hindus not only highlights the lack of concern from her peers but also underscores the disparity in how different issues are treated based on their perceived popularity or relevance on the global stage.
“Devastated & heartbroken to hear of the violence in Bangladesh against their minority population. People killed, families displaced, women violated & places of worship being vandalized & burnt. Hope the new govt. takes appropriate steps in stopping the violence & protecting its people. My thoughts & prayers for everyone facing hardship 🙏#SaveBangladesiHindus”, wrote Preity Zinta on X.
Devastated & heartbroken to hear of the violence in Bangladesh against their minority population. People killed, families displaced, women violated & places of worship being vandalized & burnt. Hope the new govt. takes appropriate steps in stopping the violence & protecting its…
— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) August 10, 2024
This selective activism not only undermines the credibility of these celebrities but also reflects their fake commitment towards social justice. When celebrities use their platforms selectively, it suggests that their activism is driven not by a genuine desire to stand against injustice but by opportunism. This is particularly damaging in a country like India, where public figures have significant influence over public opinion.
Notably, on May 28, several Bollywood celebrities shared stories on Rafah. An AI-generated image with the text “All Eyes On Rafah” was shared on the social media platform Instagram over 50 million times. Here are some of the celebrities who shared the image on their Instagram story.
Bollywood Actors and actresses, including Sonam Kapoor, Kriti Kharbanda, Nora Fatehi, Malaika Arora Khan, Zareen Khan, Alia Bhatt, Diya Mirza, Samantha Prabhu, Tripti Dimri, Rakul Preet, Nitanshi Goel, Urfi Javed, Swara Bhaskar, Priyanka Chopra, Rahul Dua, Varun Dhawan and many more shared the same story on social media. On the other hand, Huma Qureshi and Kareena Kapoor shared a post published by UNICEF calling for a ceasefire in the region.
Rohit Sharma’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, actress Madhuri Dixit, and some other celebrities also shared stories but deleted them after facing criticism from the public.
What happened in Rafah?
Rafah is the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip. It shares a border with Egypt and the Rafah crossing is presently the only way Gaza residents can leave the area. However, Egypt only allows humanitarian aid inside. Egypt has refused all requests for evacuation and does not allow Palestinians to enter their nation.
Hypocrisy of selective outrage
The surge in such posts by Indian celebrities has brought light to such selective outrage. The image with “All wyes on Rafah” was shared 50 million times worldwide on Instagram, which appears to be an attempt to create a negative narrative against Israel. These celebrities collectively amplified the message which reminded of the “I am ashamed” placard campaign during the Kathua incident. However, their conspicuous silence on other pressing issues reveals a stark hypocrisy.
The hypocrisy of the Bollywood brigade is evident when they did not share a word to condemn the brutal October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. This attack by Islamist terror organisation involved the firing of more than 5,000 rockets into Israel, killing over 1,000 Israelis, with hundreds of civilians abducted and taken to Hamas-controlled areas in the Gaza Strip. Even as multiple videos showing the brutal acts on Israeli civilians, including the gruesome rapes of Israeli women emerged across social media, none of these celebrities reacted to it
Despite this, these celebrities continue to mindlessly stand up for Palestine, ignoring the fact that Israel’s actions were in direct response to Hamas’s terror.
The biggest U-turn was taken by Bollywood actress Nushrat Bharucha who shared social media posts thanking the government of Israel for helping her fly back to India safely, as she was stranded in Israel during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Nushrat also shared the “All Eyes on Rafah” post on her social media. Thus, netizens trolled her for double standards as despite having seen the Hamas terror and having posted about it earlier, she took a U-turn and shared an “All Eyes on Rafah” post. This certainly is the peak of hypocrisy as many people had supported her during her previous post even as Nushrat was trolled by the left lobby for thanking the Israeli Government instead of spitting venom against Israel.
The genocide of Bangladeshi Hindus has exposed the celebrities how detached they are from ground realities Thousands of Hindus are being killed, and women are raped, yet not even one of these celebrities has ever raised their voice in their support or used their mass followership to shed light on their plight.
Their hypocrisy is not limited to the international issues. They fail to raise their voices for victims of love jihad in India. The merciless killings of Hindus during the Delhi riots, the killing of Kanahiya Lal in Udaipur, and growing instances of love jihad where Hindu women become victims do not bother them.
The uniformity of the posts shared by these celebrities indicate a well-orchestrated campaign behind them. Some or all of them may be paid to participate in the campaign. The way these celebrities prefer to engage with international narratives while neglecting the issues of India shows how their actions are mainly limited to “toolkit” campaigns rather than advocating for all victims of injustice.
This silence of Bollywood on the atrocities in Bangladesh, while they passionately advocate for Gaza, exposes their double standard. It is a reminder that not all voices in the entertainment industry are motivated by a sincere commitment to justice and humanity. The selective nature of their activism raises questions about the authenticity of their concerns and the actual reasons behind their public statements.
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