Sai Pallavi Compares Kashmiri Pandit Exodus to Cow Vigilantism, Sparks Row

Sai Pallavi is currently promoting 'Virata Parvam,' her upcoming Telugu film.

Actor Sai Pallavi, who is currently busy with her promotions for her upcoming Telugu film Virata Parvam, found herself amid a controversy after a comment asserting that there was no difference between the Kashmiri Pandits exodus of the 1990s and a recent case of cow vigilantism.

During a promotional interview for her film with a YouTube channel, Pallavi said:

"The Kashmir Files showed how Kashmiri Pandits were killed at the time. If you are taking the issue as a religious conflict, a recent incident happened where a Muslim driver who was transporting cows, was beaten up and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ So where’s the difference between these two incidents, one from the past, and the other in the present?"

When asked about her political inclination, Pallavi said that justice won’t be there either on the side of the right or the left, if one is not a good human being. "So what I believe is, if you are stronger than me, and you are oppressing me, then you are in the wrong. A large number of people oppressing a small group of people is wrong. A battle has to be fought between two equals," she said.

Pallavi's remark has left the internet divided, with many on Twitter debating about her comparison. While some hailed her for her courage, others criticised her for undermining the pain of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

'Speaking Truth to Power': Some Twitterati Hail Sai Pallavi's Comment

Some Twitterati, including actor Divya Spandana aka Ramya, appreciated Pallavi's statements and hailed her for "speaking truth to power."

‘The oppressed should be protected’ ⁦@Sai_Pallavi92⁩ speaking truth to power 👏🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/WcAraGwCcI

— Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) June 15, 2022

#SaiPallavi 🔥🔥 We appreciate your courage. pic.twitter.com/YkOC8VLyxB

— Ritu Choudhary (@RituChoudhryINC) June 15, 2022

'Trivialising Genocide': Another Twitter Section Condemns Pallavi's Statement

Another section of Twitter condemned the statements made by the Telugu actor and accused her of trivialising the genocidal attack on the Kashmiri Pandit community in the 1990s.

I don't carry hatred for @Sai_Pallavi92 , many in India have not been aware of what happened to us , as a community ... Her equating us with cow smugglers is probably unintentional , i invite her to our refugee camps for better understanding

May God keep her blessed https://t.co/zl5hqkywv7

— Pawan Durani (@PawanDurani) June 14, 2022

In spite of being subject to mass killings & exodus, Kashmiri Pandits never played the victim card.

That’s why Sai Pallavi cannot differentiate between the unfortunate killing of one man and the catastrophic genocide of an entire community.
https://t.co/4j9h3TJVPi

— Major Gaurav Arya (Retd) (@majorgauravarya) June 15, 2022

Sai Pallavi doesn’t understand the difference between KPs genocide & one-off cow smuggling incident. If she wants to give her 2 cents, then she needs to educate herself first & understand the terror, torture & trauma KPs went through. These topics are way beyond her understanding https://t.co/DMtNRfaUAA

— AnuNaganathan 🇮🇳😷 (@AnuNaganathan) June 14, 2022

Dear Sai Pallavi..Don't hurt your fan base by speaking insensitive statements. Visit Kashmir once, talk to a Kashmiri Pandit once before trivializing a genocide. https://t.co/A21tMPNkXr

— Prasanta Mandal (@prasantamandal_) June 15, 2022

Virata Parvam is all set to release in theatres on 17 June. Written and directed by Venu Udugula, it will also feature prominent actors like Priyamani, Nandita Das, and Sai Chand, besides Pallavi and Rana Daggubati.