As the political row over the police crackdown on students protesting the NEET paper leak continued, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday reposted a 2012 tweet by actor Amitabh Bachchan that criticised police action against protesters in Delhi during the UPA government's tenure.
Tharoor shared the post on X without adding any comment of his own. The 2012 tweet read: "T 970 - Pained and horrified to see what unfolds in Delhi .. peaceful protest being met with tear gas and water canons!!"
Bachchan had shared the message during the nationwide outrage following the December 2012 Delhi gangrape case, when protesters clashed with police near India Gate and Raisina Hill.
Whether intended as a reminder, a question or a political contrast, Tharoor's repost has once again put the spotlight on Bollywood's response during moments of public unrest. Unlike in 2012, when several film personalities publicly reacted to the protests in Delhi, much of the film industry has remained silent on the latest agitation.
A handful of actors, including Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj and Swara Bhasker, have spoken out and visited Jantar Mantar in support of the protesters. Others, including Huma Qureshi, Soni Razdan, Zeenat Aman, Abhay Deol, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Omi Vaidya and Sonakshi Sinha, have expressed solidarity with the students and raised concerns over the use of force against them.