Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra has found herself in hot waters once again after she extended support to Iranian women who are protesting for their rights. Many are upset over Chopra's deafening silence about the ongoing atrocities in India.
Over the weekend, the Citadel actor took to Instagram and shared an animation of women freeing themselves from the watchful gaze of the Iran government and standing together after Mahsa Amini's tragic passing away. "Women in Iran and around the world are standing up and raising their voices, publicly cutting their hair and many other forms of protest for Mahsa Amini, whose young life was taken away so brutally by the Iranian Morality Police for wearing her hijab ‘improperly’," Chopra penned.
"The voices that speak after ages of forced silence, will rightfully burst like a volcano! And they will not and MUST not be stemmed. am in awe of your courage and your purpose. It is not easy to risk your life, literally, to challenge the patriarchal establishment and fight for your rights. But, you are courageous women doing this every day regardless of the cost to yourselves," added the actor.
The Bajirao Mastani actor then shared, "To ensure that this movement will have a lasting effect, we must hear their call, understand the issues and then join in with our collective voices. We must also get everyone who can influence others to join as well. Numbers matter. Add your voice to this critical movement. Stay informed and be vocal, so these voices can no longer be forced to stay silent. I stand with you. Jin, jiyan, azaadi… Women, life, freedom."
Twitter calls out Chopra
After her post, several Twitter users called out Chopra for her selective activism. "Priyanka Chopra knows how to make money from someone's misery," a user pointed out. "She came out in support of women in Iran as a vocal world-concerned activist but she is not so vocal when a Dalit woman was raped, forcibly burnt and family members were beaten. She knows how to win the heart of whites."
Priyanka Chopra knows how to make money from someone misery. She came out in support for women in Iran as a vocal world concerned activist but she is not so vocal when a dalit woman was raped, forcibly burnt, family members were beaten. She knows how to win the heart of whites.
— Harsh (@_ambedkarite) October 7, 2022
Another noted, "Priyanka Chopra has no qualms in posing with Narendra Modi and inviting him to her wedding reception despite BJP govt's brutal crackdown on Hijab in India, but has the temerity to support anti-Hijab "protests" in faraway Iran."
Priyanka Chopra has no qualms in posing with Narendra Modi and inviting him to her wedding reception despite BJP govt's brutal crackdown on Hijab in India, but has the temerity to support anti-Hijab "protests" in faraway Iran. pic.twitter.com/NrEetPEefr
— Syed Zafar Mehdi (@mehdizafar) October 8, 2022
One user added, "Indian celebrities speaking about Iran will look the other way through this fascism and apartheid in their home country. This is a lawmaker in the Indian government asking for an economic boycott of Muslims. Will the likes of Priyanka Choprspeak up for Muslims in India?"
Indian celebrities speaking about Iran will look the other way through this fascism and apartheid in their home country. This is a lawmaker in the Indian government asking for economic boycott of Muslims. Will the likes of @priyankachopra speak up for Muslims in India ? https://t.co/Iq02ENtR0m
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) October 9, 2022
Another tweep commented, "Priyanka Chopra like many liberals wouldn't dare speak on Hindutva and their oppression of Muslim women but will give support to women in Iran. Don't take it as hypocrisy its condoning the atrocities on Muslim women."
Priyanka Chopra like many liberals wouldn't dare speak on H;ndutva and their oppression on muslim women but will give support to women in Iran. Don't take it as hypocrisy its condoning the atroc;ties on muslim women.
— Riz (@brownguyRiz) October 7, 2022
One user shared, "Has anyone heard Priyanka Chopra speak up on any pressing issue in India?" while another remarked, "Priyanka Chopra wants to stand up with women in Iran (rightly so) but not with women in France who r also denied the right of their bodily autonomy to wear hijab? Not with the ppl of Kashmir being brutally tortured raped murdered in her own country? Not with Palestine? Afghanistan?"
Has anyone heard Priyanka Chopra speak up on any pressing issue in India???#SpinelessBollywood
— Mini Nair (@minicnair) October 8, 2022
Priyanka Chopra wants to stand up with women in Iran (rightly so) but not with women in France who r also denied the right of their bodily autonomy to wear hijab?Not with the ppl of Kashmir being brutally tortured raped murdered in her own country?Not with Palestine?Afghanistan?
— Bittersweet Melancholy (@I_nyctophile) October 8, 2022
One Twitter user called out the French actors and Chopra for staying mum on the injustice women in their home country face. "If the likes of Priyanka Chopra can post on Instagram and Juliette Binoche can snip off her split ends in solidarity with women in Iran but are silent on the way Muslim women are treated in their home countries, it's just a PR exercise."
If the likes of #PriyankaChopra can post on instagram and #JulietteBinoche can snip off her split ends in solidarity with women in Iran, but are silent on the way #Muslim women are treated in their home countries, its just a PR exercise pic.twitter.com/YE6tI9xWL6
— Alia Waheed #JusticeForSarah (@AliaWaheed) October 8, 2022
Mahsa Amini's death
Anger over her death has triggered the biggest wave of protests to rock Iran in almost three years and a crackdown that has killed dozens of protesters and seen scores arrested.
Despite security personnel using lethal force, the women-led protests have continued for 21 consecutive nights, according to online videos verified by AFP. In a widening crackdown, Iran has blocked access to social media, including Instagram and WhatsApp, and launched a campaign of mass arrests.
Protesters have sought ways to avoid detection, with schoolgirls hiding or blurring their faces while shouting "Death to the dictator" and defacing images of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in verified videos. Other footage has shown people chanting the protest catchcry "Woman, Life, Freedom!" from their apartment windows under the cover of night.
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