Feroze Khan, when you empathise with a 'but', there's a problem
As India's new coronavirus infections continue to hit record peaks, many countries including Pakistan, Britain, Germany and the United States have pledged to send urgent medical aid to fight the crisis overwhelming its hospitals.
Across the border, Pakistanis are sending love and prayers as heart-wrenching videos and pictures emerge of Indians struggling for their lives. Feroze Khan too showed empathy but there were a few issues with his message:
"I am sure it’s tough time in India and I pray for humanity everywhere. But just imagine what Kashmir has been going through and why?" he questioned.
To begin with, his first half of the message seems to trivialise the enormous scale of devastation India is undergoing right now. Two, why add a 'but' in your message of empathy and bring up Kashmir in the same tweet?
No one is denying that Kashmiris have gone through continuous oppression and violations of their basic rights but when you're talking about one tragedy (the one in India), don't correlate it to the other.
People on Twitter also asked the actor to keep politics out of a major crisis, pointing out innocent people who were losing their lives had nothing to do with the atrocities in Kashmir.
However, that didn't sway the actor's opinions.
"Kashmir is out of oxygen since god knows when. They just are not a nuclear power so we don’t talk much about it. Face with tears of joy they’ve been caged and killed dirty," he said. "Again I am praying for humanity in India and in Kashmir!"
After facing heavy criticism and backlash from fans who called his tweets insensitive and against basic human decency at a time like this, Khan then responded to a fan who pointed out how he should be praying for humanity instead of spreading unnecessary hate.
"I have prayed for humanity there and everywhere. But I would still not wanna be quiet for a few likes and views," he said, making references to his serial Khuda aur Muhabbat which is currently on air.
"The drama could fail too and I would still not want innocent to be killed, suppressed and caged. Praying for everyone everywhere," he added.
We understand his frustration about the atrocities in Kashmir, but empathy costs nothing. There are many celebrities praying for people in India and encouraging people not to lose hope who still believe that India is in the wrong on the Kashmir issue.
You don't have to give up your stance on Kashmir to show kindness in India's time of great need.
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