Actor Dia Mirza has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the NEET protest after Bhumi Pednekar‘s comments on the language used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked widespread discussion online. Supporting a post critical of Bhumi’s stance, Dia urged people not to lose sight of issues such as police brutality, the alleged doxxing and harassment of women and girls online, and FIRs against underage protesters. Saba Azad also joined the conversation by reacting to the same post on social media.
Dia Mirza’s response
Reacting to a post that criticised Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza appeared to agree with it, writing, “The last thing we should be doing is feeding into deflection. I hope every actor making the time to speak about language would equally and emphatically question police brutality, women and girls being doxxed and harassed online whenever we express dissent. Illegal FIRs against underage girls are not going to improve our culture.” Saba Azad also reacted to the same post, dropping a fire emoji in response.
What did Bhumi Pednekar say?
In her original video, Bhumi Pednekar said she supported part of the protest but condemned the language used against the Prime Minister. “Looking at the videos surfacing now, the kind of language being used, and the way the youth of our country are speaking, the youth of our country… this isn’t how we talk, man. We are talking about someone who holds the highest office in the land today,” she said.The actress added, “Would we ever speak like this to the elders in our own homes? Can we really resort to using abusive language?” Bhumi appealed for unity, stressing that issues like gender-based violence and education need to be approached with respect.
Bhumi Pednekar on Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation
Bhumi also reacted to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, calling it “a monumental moment for our democracy.” She wrote, “Citizens that didn’t give up and leadership that listened. The youth spoke; their conviction, their courage, and their belief in the power of change were inspiring.”She further said, “To me, accountability is about delivering real, solution-driven change. Identifying the cracks and filling them… I think for every Indian, whether you are in public office or are an ordinary citizen, the nation, its prosperity, its people, and its security should always come first. Jai Hind.”On the work front, the actress is reportedly set to feature in ‘The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’, directed by Sandeep Singh. The film stars Rishab Shetty in the lead role. It is set to hit theatres next year.