Why BJP minister Hardeep Puri helping Mallika Dua irked netizens?
Questions of celebrity privilege, political inclination, and rich-poor divide came to the fore surrounding actress/comedienne Mallika Dua recently. The Zero actress, who openly identifies with the Left ideology, is trending high on Twitter since yesterday after she asked for help regarding the treatment of her COVID-19-positive mother Chinna Dua. Senior BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri offered to help unprompted, raising eyebrows. Here's why.
Puri helped Dua without even being asked for aid
For context, let's begin with Dua's tweet asking for help on May 16. Tagging Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, she said that her mother, who was in the ICU, needed the medicine Tocilizumab. "Could you please help," she asked Hooda, who replied, asking her to share the doctor's requisition. An hour later, Puri replied in the thread, informing that he had arranged the injection.
Check out the thread here via screenshots
Dua didn't even ask Khattar for help, leave alone Puri
In the now-unavailable Twitter thread, the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs also shared her phone number with the comedienne. Thanking him, Dua took to Twitter to reveal that she has received the required injection. To note, she didn't ask even BJP leader and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar for help (her mother is admitted in a hospital in Gurugram), let alone Puri.
She has not kept her political ideologies hidden
Most notably, on multiple occasions, the Indoo Ki Jawani actress has made her dislike for right-wing supporters known. Given her history, Puri's call to help her, without being asked, has rubbed many in the wrong way. Moreover, a trip through the veteran leader's Twitter handle will tell you that he has not really extended such aid before.
Old video: Dua wishing death upon 'Bhakts' went viral
So what made him help Dua? Did he want to impress a Leftist? Dua was also trolled heavily for accepting Puri's help, shamelessly (ideologies RIP?). An old clip where she wished death upon all "Bhakts" went viral, worsening things for her. Netizens also highlighted that she got the prompt help because of her privileged background (Dua's father is a #MeToo accused journalist Vinod Dua).
Troll effect?: Dua has also deactivated her account
The actress also deactivated her Twitter account suddenly on Monday. Relentless trolling and backlash could be a reason why. She was not active on the platform, as her last posts before she asked for help were from 2019. Her Instagram account is still accessible.
'These ministers in Power ignore citizens, help privileged for validation'
Twitter users questioned why were the celebrities being treated differently. One user said: "Dear @HardeepSPuri, there are so many critical patients in hospitals, didn't see you arrange injections for them (sic)." "The problem occurs when these ministers in Power ignore the common citizens of our country and rush to help privileged elite people like Mallika for their validation," read another tweet.
Here is one tweet lambasting Puri
Vinod Dua had tested positive earlier this month
To recall, Dua had taken to her Instagram handle to share that her father had contracted the viral disease on May 3. Thereafter, both her parents were quarantining at home, until they had to be hospitalized, when their condition worsened.
