In what is yet another instance of systemic racism that is deeply entrenched in the United States, George Floyd was killed in police custody by Derek Chauvin, an officer who used a knee chokehold on him. The incident sparked protests against police brutality both in the US and across the world.
The incident also catalysed the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement with people actively using the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on Instagram and Twitter and also posting stark black backgrounds on what was supposed to be a 'Blackout Tuesday'.
What is interesting is how Bollywood celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Disha Patani, Karan Johar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Tiger Shroff, among others, jumped on the bandwagon, demanding justice for George Floyd and asking for the 'race war' to end.
However, Twitter users were quick to point out how hypocritical and selective this came across as considering the fact that there was radio silence from these very stars when a large number of Indian citizens were protesting a discriminatory citizenship law and an information blackout along with a multitude of other injustices in the country.
Desis standing with BLM is great, but if we've never spoken abt the mistreatment/murder of minorities at home, let's take a moment to think abt why. It's easier to join in & ask for rights/justice for another community when we aren't the ones they're primarily being demanded from
Priyanka Chopra wants to end racism in US but is just fine with the blatant islamophobic attacks in India.
George Floyd exposed Indian hypocrisy
After Priyanka Chopra, now Tiger Shroff and Kareena Kapoor have raised voice against the murder of George Floyd. Bollywood celebs, please sit down. You have absolutely no moral grounding to speak on racial injustice in USA while you keep mum on Brahmanical atrocities in India 1/3
Some also threw back to the many, MANY skin-lightening products that these actors had endorsed, calling attention towards India's obsession with fair skin, our colourist attitudes, and our inherent anti-blackness.
List of Indian actors who are speaking on BLM and their fairness cream ads, a thread :
Please let us not forget those who haven't even said anything, is that worse?
"how true is your fairness?"
Not long after, Abhay Deol called out these "woke" Indian celebrities on Instagram, and asked people to look at the "larger picture" with respect to migrants and minorities.
Zoya Akhtar had something similar to say.
And yet again, Twitter had thoughts both in favour of and against these opinions.
Abhay Deol slams Indian celebs for talking about black lives but remaining mum on what’s happening to minorities and migrants in our own backyard! Well done Sir
'All Lives Matter' is just a Hindu Upper Caste privilege in India!
Some Twitter folks requested Hasan Minhaj to use his platform to inform people about the many other intricacies of the BLM movement.
i’m gonna need @hasanminhaj to use his platform on patriot act to talk about anti-blackness in asian american communities and educate his south asian viewers about the black lives matter movement for next week’s episode pls
And he delivered! Hasan posted an informative and hard-hitting video in which he bluntly threw light upon how South Asians have played a prominent role in marginalising the black community and how we need to do better.
And he was praised for his take.
@hasanminhaj Hasan minhaj calling out the Indian community for its hypocrisy and colorist actions during this time is exactly what I needed. Thank you @patriotact 👏🏾👏🏾
Watch the video here:
