While hashtags like #BengaluruShame have been doing the rounds on Twitter after the mass molestation incident in Bengaluru on New Year’s Eve, Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi thought different. Following in the footsteps of politicians like Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav, Azmi remained true to the victim-blaming culture and said that women couldn’t expect anything less if they wore skimpy dresses. As many people have blasted Azmi for his sexist rant, some members of the film fraternity too spoke out against him.

Varun Dhawan, who has been very vocal about women’s rights, said, “Argggh how this angers me. Sir punish the criminals, not the victims. Women can wear what they want it’s their choice.” Farhan Akhtar’s tweet could make Azmi choke on his own words, as he wrote, “Women should not dress like westerners b’coz men dressed like westerners are molesters, says the man in the shirt. #oxy(deprived)morons.”

Of course, a conversation like this would seem incomplete if the star of one of the most eye-opening films about consent in Bollywood didn’t share her view on the matter. Taapsee Pannu kept her rebuttal simple, saying, “I wish we had invited him (Azmi) for a special screening of #Pink or let me buy a ticket for him to see!”

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While these actors have raised their voice against the Azmi’s loaded statement, Twitter too has been buzzing with comments mocking the SP member as well. The mass molestation incident has stirred up numerous debates about women’s safety, the attitude of people in power towards women and the so-called invasion of western values. Even as arguments from both sides continue, the fact remains that so far no arrests have been made regarding the incident.