Celebrities Criticized by Netizens, Murder of George Floyd took the entire world by shock. It inevitably gave rise to several riots and protests all around the United States. On 25th of May, in Minneapolis, Minnesota George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man was choked to death by a policeman, Derek
Chauvin on accusation of forgery. This inhumane act is yet another example of racism against the blacks in America and elsewhere.
Ripples of protests were observed in social media too with the hashtag #blacklivesmatter. Among the thousands of people who voiced their horror and appealed for justice were
several Bollywood celebrities. From Priyanka Chopra to Disha Patani, several of them took to social media to voice their solidarity. Their efforts as much appreciated, were also at the
receiving end of flak by the netizens. Their criticism roots from a very valid question, ‘Why stay mum when issues rage in India?’ Is the silence regarding problems too close to home, a
protective measure to ensure self-preservation, and to avoid an anti-national tag that could ruin their reputation or simply ignorance when it comes to the fire that is burning India down?
The poison spread all across Twitter and Instagram and several allegations were voiced against the hypocritical stance for justice by celebs.
Priyanka Chopra is a widely popular star with a huge fan base. Considering the influence she has on youth, it would be expected of her to have a voice against injustice. But the activism on her part is highly selective and orchestrated. She has chosen to turn a blind eye to the casteism and religious intolerance raging in India time and again. Being the ambassador of Assam, she stayed mum during the NRC and CAA conflict.
She didn’t advocate justice when policemen beat up students of Universities or raged atrocities against Dalits in India.
What was even more hypocritical was that many of the celebrities who spoke up against racism endorse skin lightening products themselves. Has the game of staying relevant to become so
important that celebs are contradicting themselves? Disha Patani was put to the spot when netizens called out her fake wokeness and questioned her endorsement with a famous fairness
advocating brand. Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor too were at the receiving end of such criticism when Twitterati sniggered at their planned social conduct and reminded the world not to be fooled by their posts and tweets because both of them are advocates of a sickening racial hierarchy where being lighter is synonymous to being better.
Fairness creams profit from the deep-set, age-old opinion of people regarding what is attractive and what is not. Money cashed from insecurity is a shame and an ethical crime. When public figures indulge in propagation of taboo with no moral compass, it reduces them in others’ eyes. But what is worse is the pretense.
The choice of being silent regarding issues that burns one’s country down is completely up to their choice but the staged sympathy for something as horrifying as racism, xenophobia, or casteism is repulsive.
We all, as humans are together in this fight for equality irrespective of gender, race, caste, profession, or religion. While everyone’s concern for racism is highly appreciated and is in fact necessary, no one is blind enough to not see through hypocrisy.
