​Kabir Bedi Defends Deepika Padukone From Smriti Irani’s Verbal Attack

By News Helpline – 11th January 2020

Veteran actor Kabir Bedi defends Deepika Padukone over her visit to JNU post Union Minister Smriti Irani lashed out at Chhapaak actress recently.

Union minister Smriti Irani has lashed out at actor Deepika Padukone for visiting Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi in solidarity with students and teachers who were attacked by a masked mob on the evening of January 5.

Padukone visited JNU on the evening of January 7 to attend a protest meeting. She stood by as former JNU Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar raised “azaadi” slogans, and also met current President Aishe Ghosh, who got injured during the mob attack.

Kabir Bedi took to his social media profile and wrote, “#Smritiirani ji, I don’t believe Deepika was siding with any ideology, left or right, by visiting the #JNU. Outside goons beat up students, dozens hospitalised. It was an act of solidarity with those who suffered the most. What you said re @deepikapadukone was not in good taste.”

Smriti Irani is the first top BJP leader to hit out at Ms Padukone for her JNU visit. The minister for textiles, and women and child development claimed it was not unexpected to the Bharatiya Janata Party that Padukone would stand with people who want India’s destruction.

Deepika's surprise move in solidarity with students injured in the mob attack caused a firestorm and sharply divided social media. Her silent participation in the protest has been praised as well as criticised. Support for the actor pushed back against calls for boycotting her new movie. One BJP leader, Tajinder Bagga, even urged people to boycott the film.