The intense political row surrounding the police crackdown on the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) student protests in Delhi has just taken a massive turn into showbiz territory. While students demanding accountability for the NEET-UG paper leaks face tear gas and lathis, the resounding silence from certain top-tier Bollywood celebrities has not gone unnoticed.
Taking a direct dig at this selective silence, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor executed a political masterstroke on social media. By simply digging up and resharing a 14-year-old post by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Tharoor has managed to expose the striking contrast in how the film industry reacts to public unrest today versus a decade ago.
Here is a complete breakdown of the viral tweet, the internet’s reaction, and the ongoing political drama!
The 14-Year-Old Tweet Resurfaces
Following the brutal lathi charge on CJP protesters marching towards Parliament on July 20, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an old post from Amitabh Bachchan. Tharoor reshared the post completely without adding any comment or caption of his own, letting the words speak entirely for themselves. The original tweet, posted by Big B in December 2012, read: “T 970 – Pained and horrified to see what unfolds in Delhi .. peaceful protest being met with tear gas and water canons!!”. Bachchan had originally shared this message during the nationwide outrage and subsequent clashes near India Gate following the horrific 2012 Delhi gangrape case, criticizing the UPA government’s police action.
T 970 – Pained and horrified to see what unfolds in Delhi .. peaceful protest being met with tear gas and water canons !!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) December 23, 2012
Pointing Out Bollywood’s Selective Silence
Whether intended as a subtle reminder or a sharp political contrast, Shashi Tharoor’s repost instantly shifted the spotlight onto Bollywood’s current stance on the ongoing CJP agitation. Back in 2012, a vast majority of the film industry openly reacted to the protests and condemned the government’s handling of the situation. Fast forward to today’s student-led movement demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET leaks, and the biggest names in the industry—including Bachchan—have remained conspicuously silent. While a handful of actors like Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Swara Bhasker, and comedian Kunal Kamra have physically visited Jantar Mantar to support the youth, the absence of voices from Bollywood’s top-tier superstars is drawing heavy criticism.
The Netizen Reaction: “Bol Bachchan” Missing?
The internet was quick to connect the dots. As soon as Tharoor reshared the post, social media users flooded the platform with reactions pointing out the hypocrisy. Netizens actively trolled the megastar for his silence, with users pointing out that celebrities who were fiercely vocal about fuel prices and public protests prior to 2014 have suddenly lost their voices. Comments flooded in questioning why the current tear gas and water cannons used against the youth did not elicit the same “pain and horror” from the superstar today.
The Broader Political Chaos in Delhi
Shashi Tharoor’s viral digital move comes directly on the heels of massive high-voltage political drama on the ground. Just a day prior, top Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Akhilesh Yadav, staged a surprise sit-in protest right outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. They were demanding accountability for the police brutality against the students. The situation escalated rapidly, resulting in the Delhi Police temporarily detaining Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders after talks with the Centre completely failed.
Will The Megastars Finally Speak Up?
By weaponizing a simple retweet, Shashi Tharoor has successfully reignited the debate over celebrity accountability and political convenience. As the youth continue to face lathis for demanding an uncorrupted education system, the pressure is mounting on India’s cultural icons to finally pick a side.
For continuous live updates on the CJP protests, exclusive political clashes, and unfiltered celebrity news, make sure to keep following Bollywood Masala By Anchal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What did Shashi Tharoor post about Amitabh Bachchan? Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reshared an old tweet posted by Amitabh Bachchan in 2012, where the actor criticized the police for using tear gas and water cannons against peaceful protesters in Delhi. Tharoor posted it without adding any caption of his own.
2. Why did Amitabh Bachchan tweet about protests in 2012? Amitabh Bachchan had originally posted the tweet during the nationwide outrage following the tragic December 2012 Delhi gangrape case, expressing his horror over protesters clashing with police near India Gate.
3. Why did Tharoor reshare the tweet now? Tharoor reshared it to highlight the hypocrisy and absolute silence of top Bollywood superstars—including Bachchan—regarding the recent police lathi charge on CJP students protesting the NEET-UG paper leaks in Delhi.
4. What are the CJP protesters demanding? The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and the students are demanding structural educational reforms and the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversies.
