Pankit Thakker On Odisha Train Tragedy: It Sickens Me To See How Social Media Bigots Are Turning This Tragedy Into A Communal Battleground

At least 288 people have been killed and over 1000 were injured in a horrific three-train collision. The crash involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train.

Talking about this tragedy, Pankit says, “As an individual who values humanity and empathy, it sickens me to see how social media bigots are turning even this tragedy into a communal battleground. The recent train accident in Odisha, which has taken more than 250 lives, has been met with grief and despair across the nation. But, as expected, the heartless individuals on social media platforms have taken this opportunity to propagate their venomous agenda. Instead of mourning the loss of precious lives, these trolls have turned their attention towards a temple near the train tracks and falsely labelled it as a mosque. The idea behind such an act is to stir up communal tension and create a rift between communities that have lived peacefully for years.”

Pankit who gained immense popularity after playing the lead role in Ektaa Kapoor’s show, ‘Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii’ questions the behaviour of today’s society.

He continues, “Is this really what our society has come to? Have we become so heartless that we can't even spare a moment to grieve for the families that have lost their loved ones in this horrific tragedy? It is truly disheartening to witness such a thought process in people who seem to have no regard for human life and emotions. The fact that these trolls are so quick to politicise a tragedy is a testament to their lack of empathy and their warped priorities. Instead of focusing on the cause of the accident and how to prevent such disasters in the future, they are more interested in using the situation to score political brownie points and incite communal violence.”

He concluded requesting for some peace. He adds, “It is high time that we as a society take a stand against such hateful propaganda and put an end to these heartless individuals’ agendas. We must come together and show solidarity towards those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy and support them in any way possible. Let us not forget that we are all human beings first and foremost and that our humanity should always come before our communal and political affiliations. It is only when we realise this and act accordingly that we can truly call ourselves a civilised and compassionate society.”

For the unversed, Pankit is known for featuring in shows like ‘Bohot Pyaar Karte Hai’, ‘Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha’, ‘Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant’, ‘Dill Mill Gayye’ and many others.