Actor Salman Khan recently demonstrated his readiness to confront online critics head-on. On July 25, after facing accusations of yielding to government pressure following his appeal to activist Sonam Wangchuk, Khan responded with a witty and memorable tweet: “Salman Khan darrrrr Gaya…. Hmmm Joe darr gaya vo mar gaya.”
This comeback followed a week in which Khan’s social media activity attracted significant attention. He had publicly urged Wangchuk to halt his hunger strike, and shortly thereafter, Wangchuk ended his fast. Despite this, instead of receiving praise, Khan became a trending topic for reasons many found amusing, particularly due to his informal language.
Khan had earlier expressed support for students protesting at Jantar Mantar, encouraging them to return home. He then focused on Wangchuk, who was on the 26th day of his hunger strike. These protests were organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical online movement launched in May that has since evolved into a nationwide campaign demanding comprehensive education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Notably, Pradhan resigned on the following Saturday.
The demonstrations were sparked by a series of examination scandals, including paper leaks, technical glitches, and canceled tests, which fueled widespread public frustration. Protesters argued that these issues had severely undermined trust in India’s examination system. The primary protest site was Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, a historic 18th-century observatory near Parliament Street that has long been a hub for public demonstrations.
In his message, Khan reassured the students, stating, “The students are at top priority, educationally n security-wise, so they need not worry,” and mentioned that the prime minister had already tweeted and would take action against those responsible. Addressing Wangchuk directly, he added, “Sonam, it’s done, bro. Don’t extend this.”
The internet quickly seized upon Khan’s casual use of “bro,” sparking a flood of memes on X. These ranged from Shakespearean parodies to satirical parliamentary debates contrasting politicians’ formal language with Khan’s informal tone. One user humorously imagined a future UPSC aspirant studying the tweet as a historical artifact, captioning it “Sallu Bhai amar ho gaye.”
