"Dear Leaders, Do not let the actions of [a] few violent men write the future for many people, like me, who want peace," wrote the Mumbai-based Ram Subramanian in relaunching #ProfileForPeace on Facebook on September 30, adding the hashtags "#killterroristsnottalks" and "#profileforpeace."
This new round of #ProfileForPeace again encouraged individual Indians and Pakistanis to counter increasing tensions between the neighbor states. Subramanian, a writer and film advertisement maker, launched a similar campaign a year ago during a time of “hate politics” between the two countries.
After a September 18 attack on an Indian military base in Kashmir that killed 19, the Indian government responded with “surgical strikes” inside Pakistan. These strikes are disputed by Islamabad. Gunfire has been exchanged across the border, and now cultural institutions have entered the fray. During its September 30 general meeting the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) banned Pakistani actors and technicians from working in the Hindi-film industry, otherwise known as Bollywood. Pakistan has responded, via its Film Exhibitors and Distributors group, by banning the screening of Indian films in the country.
Amidst the furor, Subramanian posted his #ProfileForPeace photo and note. His accompanying post read, "This happens every time. We talk peace and there are terror attacks that derail peace. … I hope both nations unite to eradicate the menace of terror and work towards peace. Make a similar profile picture if you too believe peace is the way forward. #KillTerroristsNotTalks #ProfileForPeace"
— Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) October 1, 2016
Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt tweeted an almost identical post and photo visible to his 1.75 million followers the next day. But the pushback began the same day, with a young woman posting a photo and a note reading, "Dear leaders, Do not let the greed of few stupid Bollytards write the future of many people like me, who not only want retribution, but want the end of a terror state that regularly sends kalashnikov wielding rats to bleed Bharat Mata. #KillTerroristanForPeace #NoTalks #IndiaFirst #HarHarMahadev."
— beingSAKSHIan (@shikha_8176) October 1, 2016
"Bharat Mata" refers to the embodiment of India as a mother goddess.
Another response read, "Dear Bollywood Actors/Directors, You make millions/career through our love, affection and support, but when it comes to crisis you are seen standing/supporting enemies through your deviated logic and pseudointellect. It’s time you fall in line as Indians before we take a stand on you and your perverted sense." It was signed simply, "Indian."
— Braunwald Health (@BraunwaldHealth) October 1, 2016
Bhatt has since posted that, "I am convinced that they [Pakistani actors] are as outraged when there's a loss of innocent lives as we are," and to be sure, there have been many repetitions of Subramanian and Bhatt's calls for peace and dialogue. But for now, trending alongside #profileforpeace are #notalks, #Indiafirst, #KillTerroristanforpeace and other notably less pacifist sentiments.
