Now Reading: Naseeruddin Shah slams Modi govt’s Covid lockdown handling
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Naseeruddin Shah slams Modi govt’s Covid lockdown handling
The Story in Brief
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Saturday (14 November 2026) criticised the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing it of displaying an 'attitude of indifference' while announcing the nationwide lockdown in March 2020. Speaking at the launch of the book 'Trust in a Time of Crisis', which documents experiences of healthcare professionals and volunteers during the pandemic, Shah praised medical workers for risking their lives. The New Indian Express and Mathrubhumi both reported the remarks.
Shah read excerpts from the book, including a passage from the foreword by senior advocate Indira Jaising about Prime Minister Modi's announcement of a 21-day lockdown on 24 March 2020. 'If I may add, (the announcement was made) with an attitude of….don't expect any help from me, I am planning to grow my beard and my hair,' Shah said. Describing healthcare workers who died as 'martyrs', the 76-year-old actor said his 'heart is bursting with admiration' and that they 'upheld the hypocritical oath' they took.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both outlets ran substantially identical copy from the PTI wire, carrying Shah's full remarks including the dig at the government. The coverage is uniform straight reporting: no outlet edited for slant, omitted the barb, or added government rebuttal. The shared framing leads with Shah's criticism and his praise for healthcare workers equally. A reader gets the same account from both. No follow-up comment from the government appears in either text, the story ends with Shah's words.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): newindianexpress.com (neutral report), mathrubhumi.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
