Piyush Mishra questions Naseeruddin Shah over selective activism in video message

Actor and writer Piyush Mishra has released a video message criticizing veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah for what he called selective activism. In the video, Mishra questioned Shah over his public support for a protest led by The Cockroach Janata Party while remaining silent on several other issues.

Key Issues Raised

Mishra pointed out that Shah recently met Abhijeet Dipke during a protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai where demonstrators demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He asked why Shah spoke up about this and an earlier NEET paper leak protest in Delhi, but stayed quiet on other matters. Mishra specifically mentioned Captain Smit Machchhar, a Flydubai pilot who saved the lives of 174 passengers on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv despite being stabbed by his co-pilot, asking Shah to praise the pilot's bravery. He also questioned Shah's silence on an incident at Lovely Professional University where female students were reportedly dragged by their hair by police, and recalled an earlier student protest in Jharkhand where he claimed Shah sent a poem by a Pakistani poet instead of practical help like food supplies.

Context

Public figures in India often face scrutiny from peers over which social and political causes they choose to support or ignore. This public exchange highlights ongoing debates within the film fraternity regarding activism, public statements, and the responsibilities of prominent artists on national issues.