Conjecture in the nation: A look at the top controversies this year
1.Priyanka Chopra and PM Modi
Priyanka Chopra has now been elevated to the status of a global star. Earlier this year, the actress came under the limelight for a photo shared on social media of her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many took offense at Chopra’s outfit which they claimed was inappropriate for a meet with the Prime Minister.
2.Ram Rahim Jailed
Earlier this year, allegations of rape were made against Ram Rahim following the same, he was found to be guilty and sentenced to jail. His adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan allegedly incited many of his followers to wreck havoc and the ensuing violence protesting his arrest even resulted in casualties. Honeypreet was later caught and apprehended by police officers.
3.Padmavati
Members of the Karni Sena group took to the streets to lead a protest against the “false” portrayal of the legendary queen in the movie. Sets were vandalized, protests were held, and threats were made targeting both Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the film’s lead actress Deepika Padukone.
4.Malala Yousafzai
The 20-year-old Nobel laureate was trolled heavily online earlier this year after a picture of her wearing jeans went viral online. Many of these trolls claimed that her choice of outfit was unacceptable and inappropriate. Yet others came out to support her and her fight for the right to education.
5.Snapchat CEO’s Comments
The Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel was caught in the midst of crossfire when earlier this year reports started doing rounds claiming that Spiegel had allegedly said that his app was created for rich countries and that it could function without India. The hashtag “Uninstall Snapchat” soon became a craze throughout social media. It was later clarified that these statements made by the CEO were unverified who later denied making such comments.
6.Australian Ad
An Australian ad for the company “Meat and Livestock” was met with much backlash after it showed the Hindu God Ganesha partaking in a meal with Gods of a number of other religions. The Hindu community in Australia filed a complaint and demanded the removal of the same, though many argued this was not warranted as Ganesha wasn’t portrayed to be eating meat at any point in the ad.
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7.Jawed Habib
A complaint was registered against the renowned hair stylist in September after a newspaper advertisement for the salon ran the caption “Gods too visit JH Salon.” The complaint reportedly accused him of “insulting and demeaning Hindu Gods.” Habib posted a video on his twitter handle issuing an apology to address the same.
8.Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan was caught in the crossfire earlier this year after posting a picture with his wife. Pathan’s wife, Safa Baig, is seen wearing a burqa and with her hands exposed and displaying nailpolish. Many trolls took to social media to come down on the cricketer and asked him to take down the picture.
9.Actress Zaira Wasim Molestation
The 17-year-old Dangal actress was allegedly molested onboard a Delhi to Mumbai flight. Zaira tried to record the man’s actions on video but was unable to due to the dim lights. She later posted a video to Instagram entailing her experience; she has stated that the cabin crew members offered no help when she turned to them for help.
10.Sonu Nigam Tweet
Bollywood’s popular singer Sonu Nigam tweeted earlier this year about “Azaan.” Nigam came under much fire for using the term “forced religiousness,” which was met with much backlash. Many came to defend the prayer call and yet others were quick to support Nigam. Overall, most people seemed to be of the consensus that Nigam’s comment was unwarranted.
Other controversies include:
A) Mersal vs. Modi
The weekend of the Tamil film’s release was soon followed by the trending hashtag “Mersal vs. Modi.” A dialogue stated by the film’s lead, South Indian star Vijay, comments on the implementation of GST in India versus other countries and the use of the same to develop better healthcare systems. Many took offense at the same and petitioned to have the dialogue removed from the movie which was denied as the film had been certified and approved by the censor board.
B) Bahubali 2 Screening in Karnataka
Bahubali 2 The Conclusion was one of 2017’s most awaited films. Actor Sathyaraj plays a pivotal role in the same. Protests broke out in the state of Karnataka in the days leading up to the film’s release, over a statement the actor allegedly made a few years earlier regarding the Cauvery River issue.
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C) RK Nagar Elections
Following former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s death in 2016, there has been political unrest and turmoil throughout the state of Tamil Nadu. The RK Nagar Elections held were observed with much interest as it would determine who would win in the former Chief Minister’s constituency. With names from Deepa, niece of Jayalalitha, to South Indian film actor Vishal, many looked to contest in the elections, which was ultimately won by TTV Dinakaran.