Swara Bhasker Faces Backlash For Supporting Gaza Rally In Mumbai, Netizens Ask 'What About Pahalgam?'

Swara Bhasker shared a poster urging Mumbaikars to join a pro-Palestine rally at Azad Maidan. Her post triggered backlash, with netizens asking, 'What about Pahalgam?'
Bollywood actress and activist Swara Bhasker has once again sparked an intense debate online after she posted a call to action in support of a solidarity rally for Gaza and Palestine. The rally, scheduled to be held at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on Wednesday, June 18, has been organized by a coalition of left-leaning political outfits and civil society groups.
Swara shared the rally poster on her official X (formerly Twitter) account with the caption, 'Mumbai.. Show up for Palestine on 18 June! 🇵🇸❤️✨#stopthegenocideinpalestine." The poster calls for a collective condemnation of what it describes as the 'Israeli genocide of Gaza" and urges the Indian government to revise its official stance on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Mumbai.. Show up for Palestine on 18 June! 🇵🇸❤️✨ #stopthegenocideinpalestine pic.twitter.com/huG4zN5MDL — Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) June 16, 2025
The event is being organized by parties and organizations including CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Samajwadi Party, AIFB, RPI (Secular), among others.
The actress' post quickly went viral and drew a mixed bag of reactions. While many lauded her courage for speaking up on a sensitive and polarising issue, others criticized the post as selective outrage. A number of social media users questioned her silence on other global and domestic humanitarian crises, particularly referencing the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
One user wrote, 'Why do you always protest for only one side? What about the victims in Pahalgam or the persecuted minorities in other parts of the world?" Another added, 'If you really care, go to Palestine instead of doing PR events in Mumbai."
Some users even went so far as to tag Mumbai Police and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, urging authorities to look into the legality of such protests and Swara's involvement.
This isn't the first time Swara Bhasker has courted controversy for voicing her opinions on international matters. In the past, she has spoken up on issues ranging from the Rohingya refugee crisis to the CAA protests, often drawing both praise for her activism and criticism for what detractors view as biased political leanings.
As of now, Swara has not issued any further statements in response to the online backlash.
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