Top personalities from India’s entertainment sector expressed solidarity with Bollywood star Salman Khan (pictured), sentenced to five years in prison last Wednesday for a fatal hit-and-run in 2002.
“Terrible news,” tweeted Sonakshi Sinha, Khan’s co-star in his hit film, Dabangg. “Dnt knw wht to say except tht will stand by @BeingSalmanKhan no matter what. Hes a good man and no 1 can tk tht away frm him.”
Singer Abhijeet and jewellery designer Farah Khan went as far as criticising people for sleeping on roads and footpaths.
“Come out fraternity, support @BeingSalmanKhan boldly not hypocriticly. Roads footpath r not meant 4 sleeping, not driver’s or alcohol’s fault,” Abhijeet tweeted.
Khan was convicted after driving over five people who were sleeping on the pavement, killing one of them, while drunk.
“No one should be sleeping on the road or footpath. It is dangerous to do that just like it is dangerous to cross tracks,” Farah tweeted.
Other expressions of support were more measured.
“It hurts when your own are punished, even if they are in the wrong,” Alia Bhatt, one of Bollywood’s newest female actors tweeted. “We love you and are standing by you.”
More critical voices were heard from outside the entertainment sector.
“India’s judiciary may have spoken, but for those of us whose lives @BeingSalmanKhan has touched so deeply, his sentence is a major setback,” Mumbai lawyer Milind Deora tweeted.
“Strong message of rule of law thru Salman’s case,” tweeted former policewoman Kiran Bedi. “Judgements come one day, howsoever one may keep the wolf away, it returns… Law of nature.”
Comedian Neville Shah took a potshot at the exhaustive media focus on the case.
“In other more relevant news, the Lok Sabha has passed the GST bill,” a comprehensive reform to the country’s value-added tax system, he tweeted. Just in case you’re interested in, you know, India.”
On Friday, the High Court in Mumbai temporarily suspended the jail sentence. The actor, who is out on bail, will remain free till the High Court takes up his appeal against his conviction next month. – DPA and Xinhua