Bollywood superstar Salman Khan found himself at the center of social media controversy after posting, and then quickly deleting, a tweet expressing relief over the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire. The now-deleted post, which read “Thank God for the ceasefire…”, drew sharp criticism from some users who questioned the actor’s silence on Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army’s recent precision strikes on terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The ceasefire, announced late Saturday following an agreement between the military officials of both countries, was reportedly violated by Pakistan within hours of its declaration, according to official sources.
Salman’s post was swiftly deleted, but not before triggering a wave of backlash online. Several users questioned his priorities, with one asking, “No tweets about Operation Sindoor. Why?” and another saying, “You didn’t say anything about India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.”
Supporters of the actor, however, rushed to his defence. One fan suggested that Salman’s tweet was deleted in response to reports of Pakistan violating the ceasefire soon after the announcement. “Just after his tweet, the news came that Pakistan violated the ceasefire. So he deleted that tweet. Now tell me what is Salman Khan’s mistake here?” the user wrote.
The controversy comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 lives, many of them civilians and tourists. At the time, Salman Khan had condemned the violence, tweeting: “Kashmir, heaven on planet earth, turning into hell. Innocent people being targeted, my heart goes out to their families. Ek bhi innocent ko marna puri kainath ko marne ke barabar hai (Killing one innocent person is similar to killing the entire universe).”
India’s military response, dubbed Operation Sindoor, was launched on May 7 and involved coordinated strikes on multiple terror bases across the border.
While Salman Khan has frequently voiced his concerns over terrorism and loss of innocent lives, the timing and tone of his ceasefire tweet without reference to the Indian military action have put him under scrutiny from some quarters.
Sources By Agencies
