Why Priyanka Chopra is getting hate for supporting anti-hijab protests in Iran
Why Priyanka Chopra is getting hate for supporting anti-hijab protests in Iran
The queen of Bollywood Priyanka Chopra is used to making headlines. But there are times when the United Nations goodwill ambassador has made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The Indian actress, who has now made her way to Hollywood, faced criticism for condemning the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran.
Chopra took to Instagram to extend her support to women protesting in Iran against the death of Mahsa Amini. Her critics, however, have accused her of ‘selective outrage’ as the actor has taken a stance on the issue while turning a blind eye to what is happening in India.
Let’s take a closer look.
What did Priyanka Chopra say?
Last week, the 40-year-old actress, posted her support for the protestors in Iran on her Instagram account. She said that she is in “awe” of the women who have been fighting the government for weeks.
Many women in Iran and across the world are publicly cutting their hair as a symbol of protest ever since the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for not wearing the hijab “properly”.
Priyanka wrote, “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’. The voices that speak after ages of forced silence, will rightfully burst like a volcano! And they will not and MUST not be stemmed.”
“I 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,” she added.
In addition to extending her support, she also urged authorities to pay heed to what the protestors have to say and understand their issues.
Also read: The journalist who broke Mahsa Amini’s story and the price she’s paying for it
She said, “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.”
What do critics have to say?
While her stance on Mahsa Amini’s death, which was followed by large-scale protests, can be considered progressive, many are unhappy with Priyanka Chopra for not paying attention to what’s happening in her own home.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, Nabiya Khan, a poet and activist based out of New Delhi, said that it is only natural to expect an Indian celebrity to speak out against the persecution of minorities in India.
She said, “They have the responsibility and voice to speak but they choose to look the other way. Indian celebrities are very quick to comment on anything happening outside the country – which is right, had they not been turning a blind eye to what is happening in India.”
Khan also pointed out the fact that many young Muslim girls in Karnataka are being barred from attending schools and colleges for wearing the hijab.
“Somehow it doesn’t catch the eye of Priyanka Chopra who is a so-called champion of women empowerment. Such people not only look away from the harassment of minorities in their own country but also present India as a flourishing country where nothing needs to be corrected. This amounts to enabling harassment of the minorities in India,” she added.
Meanwhile, journalist Rana Ayyub appreciated Priyanka Chopra for speaking out for the women in Iran, she also touched upon her silence on women’s issues in India. She tweeted, “Priyanka Chopra’s concern for Iranian women is hugely appreciated, but her silence on Bilkis Bano and the state enabled persecution of Muslims, especially marginalised women in her home country, India is worth introspection.”
Priyanka Chopra’s concern for Iranian women is hugely appreciated, but her silence on Bilkis Bano and the state enabled persecution of Muslims, especially marginalised women in her home country, India is worth introspection ?
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) October 7, 2022
Has Priyanka Chopra been criticised for her comments before?
This is not the first time the actress has been on the receiving end of criticism.
In 2020, when protestors in the USA erupted in protest against the death of George Floyd, the Indian actress posted a lengthy caption on her Instagram, supporting the cause of Black Lives Matter with a picture titled “I can’t breathe”.
She wrote, “End this race war here in US and around the world. Wherever you live, whatever your circumstances, NO ONE deserves to die, especially at the hands of another because of their skin colour.”
Critics were quick enough to call out her “hypocrisy” and according to a report by Digital Spy, Indian actor Abhay Deol, in retaliation to Priyanka’s post, put up an image titled “Migrant lives matter, poor lives matter, minority lives matter”.
In another case of controversy, in 2019, after the news of India’s response to the Pulwama attacks hit the news, Priyanka Chopra hailed their efforts on Twitter. According to a report by Mashable India, in the same year, Ayesha Malik, a Pakistani woman criticised Chopra for her comment.
She said, “It was kind of hard hearing you talk about humanity, because as your neighbour, a Pakistani, I know you are a bit of a hypocrite, because you tweeted on February 26, ‘Jai Hind. #IndianArmedForces’ You are a UNICEF ambassador for peace and you are encouraging nuclear war against Pakistan.”
According to a report by India Today, the Indian actress has received backlash for promoting fairness creams in the past. The topic came into the spotlight especially after her stance on Black Lives Matter movement. She said, “All my cousins are gora-chitta (fair) I was the one who turned out dusky because my dad is dusky. Just for fun, my Punjabi family would call me ‘kaali, kaali, kaali’. At 13, I wanted to put fairness creams and wanted my complexion changed.”
In 2015, Chopra spoke about how she felt bad about endorsing such products which is the reason why she stopped featuring in fairness cream advertisements.
With inputs from agencies
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