A Pakistani woman confronted Priyanka Chopra at BeautyCon in Los Angeles on the weekend for a tweet the actress posted in February.
As Chopra, 37, was taking questions during a panel discussion on Saturday at the beauty event, Ayesha Malik was passed the microphone and called out the Bollywood actress for her tweet, which came after India announced it had launched airstrikes in Pakistani territory in February.
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“It was kind of hard hearing you talk about humanity because as your neighbour, a Pakistani, I know you’re a bit of a hypocrite,” Malik said, making reference to the tweet from Feb. 26 in which Chopra wrote: “Jai Hind (Victory to India) #IndianArmedForces.”
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“You are United Nations Goodwill ambassador for peace and you are encouraging nuclear war in Pakistan. There is no way you are in this …As a Pakistani, millions of people like me have supported you in your business,” Malik said before her microphone was taken away by security.
“I hear you,” Chopra said in response to Malik, who was yelling after her microphone was taken away so the actress could hear her.
“Whenever you’re done venting … got it, done? OK, cool,” Chopra said to Malik.
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“So, I have many, many friends from Pakistan and I am from India, and war is not something that I am really fond of but I am patriotic,” Chopra said. “So I’m sorry if I hurt sentiments to people who do love me and have loved me, but I think that all of us have a sort of middle ground that we all have to walk, just like you probably do as well.”
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“The way you came at me right now?” Chopra said. “Girl, don’t yell. We’re all here for love. Don’t yell. Don’t embarrass yourself. But we all walk that middle ground, but thank you for your enthusiasm and your question and your voice.”
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Malik took to Twitter later to address the exchange after she confronted the actress for her tweet during the conflict between India and Pakistan.
“It took me back to when I couldn’t reach my family because of the blackouts and how scared/helpless I was,” Malik continued in another tweet. “She gaslit me and turned the narrative around on me being the ‘bad guy’ — as a UN ambassador this was so irresponsible.”
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India and Pakistan have been in conflict for many decades over Kashmir, a territory claimed by both countries.
Chopra has yet to publicly respond to the encounter with Malik, and she’s received heavy criticism on social media after the exchange was posted online.
https://twitter.com/s190_/status/1160841388096966656
https://twitter.com/artwhoring/status/1160768607631994881
https://twitter.com/Anumero_1/status/1160702918527524864
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For decades, a separatist movement has fought Indian rule in Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and India and claimed by both in its entirety.
Some 70,000 people have died in clashes between militants, civilian protesters and Indian security forces since 1989. Most Kashmiris want either independence or a merger with Pakistan, which is India’s rival.
Global News has reached out to Malik for comment but has not heard back as of this writing.
—With files from the Associated Press
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