Independence Day: Kareena Kapoor, Preity Zinta and other celebs raise their voices for women’s safety

Kareena Kapoor, Preity Zinta Pic/Instagram

On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Bollywood celebrities took to their social media handles to wish everyone on this day but with an important message shedding light on women's safety. Their posts come amid the horrifying Kolkata doctor rape and murder case that has left the nation in shame and shock.

Raveena Tandon wrote, "Today with Pride my children and I walk with our heads held high saying we are INDIAN. Nonetheless, the sadness that leaves an ache in our hearts, the brutal violations of our women, the inequalities in our workplaces, all I ask my dear country, we are half of you, women today in our country are a force to reckon with, we might not be equals in muscle, a lone woman might not be able to fight off 5 men, but in emotions, intellect, feelings we are all the same. We gave birth to you."

Hansal Mehta added, "When we normalise and even celebrate physical abuse of women, when we ignore sexual exploitation of women, when we turn a blind eye to the misuse of power by men for sexual favours, when we glorify toxic masculinity, when we mainstream known sexual predators when we trivialise/doubt/isolate/stigmatise women who complain of harassment and ignore unsafe conditions for women in our homes/workplaces/streets WE ARE ALL PERPETRATORS AND GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN."

Actor-influencer Dolly Singh teared up as she recited a few lines titled "Dhyan rakhna padhta hai." She wrote in the caption, "Saari advisory humare liye bachane ka shukriya. Hum better honey ki koshish zarur karenge. Jo swatantra hain, unhe swatantrata diwas ki shubhkamnayein."

Maanvi Gagroo shared a poem that read, "I want Independence. I don't want to ask a male friend/relative to drop me home. I don't want them to have to offer. I don't want to pretend to be on a call while walking alone after dark. I don't want to actually have to be on a call. I don't want to learn the S.I.N.G Or carry a pair of scissors in my bag. I don't want to reject a nice house because it doesn't have a safety door. I don't want to have to make my dog bark so the person standing outside my house knows I have one. I don't want to have to make decisions based on fear. I want to be free from this. I want every girl/woman to be free from this. I want independence."

Actress Bhumi Pednekar also took to social media to pen a strongly worded note on Independence Day highlighting the need for safe spaces for women. The actress called for stricter laws that put fear on the perpetrators. Take a look at her post:

Kareena Kapoor Khan also called for justice for the doctor who was brutally raped and murdered in Kolkata.

Preity Zinta also called for justice and changes to improve women's safety.

Malaika Arora and Kriti Sanon also took to social media to express their rage over the current situation in the country.

The outrage over the murder and sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor continues as many refuse to leave the streets demanding justice.