MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have come under criticism for remaining silent over the ongoing student protests in New Delhi, with social media users and sections of the Indian media questioning their lack of public response.
The controversy comes amid nationwide demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), demands for education reforms, and calls for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Critics argue that despite being among India’s most influential public figures, the three Khans have not publicly commented on the current protests or several previous national issues, including the farmers’ movement, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests and the #MeToo movement.
Their silence has sparked a wider debate over whether celebrities have a responsibility to speak out on major political and social issues.
Meanwhile, several Bollywood personalities, including Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Diljit Dosanjh, Dia Mirza, Sonu Sood, Sonakshi Sinha and others, have voiced support for the protesting students and condemned the reported use of force against demonstrators.
The protests, led by student groups and civil society organisations, have intensified after police reportedly used tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators marching towards Parliament.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has continued his hunger strike in support of the students, while opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was briefly detained after joining the protests.
The controversy has reignited discussion over the role of public figures during times of national unrest, with supporters urging influential celebrities to speak up, while others argue that actors are not obligated to comment on every political or social issue.
