‘Thank God for the ceasefire’—Salman Khan's now deleted tweet on India-Pakistan truce triggers backlash

Bollywood megastar Salman Khan found himself at the center of a heated online storm after sharing a message on X (formerly Twitter) that praised the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. His post, which simply stated “Thank God for the ceasefire…,” has since been removed, but not before it triggered widespread outrage. The actor’s comment came just hours after the two nations agreed to stop military engagement following India's execution of Operation Sindoor—a counter-terrorism offensive in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam attack on April 22, which claimed numerous innocent lives.

Many social media users were outraged that Salman Khan chose to speak about peace between the two countries without acknowledging the loss of lives or the heroism of Indian soldiers who acted in response to the terrorist assault. Critics argued that his message felt tone-deaf in light of the national grief and anger surrounding the recent tragedy. The internet quickly lit up with criticism, accusing Khan of glossing over the suffering caused by the attack and appearing more sympathetic to the adversary than to his own countrymen.

Some accused the actor of remaining conspicuously silent on the terror strike and the Indian Army’s fierce retaliation while being unusually quick to commend the ceasefire. Others questioned his priorities, suggesting that his tweet seemed to empathize more with restoring peace than honoring the sacrifices of those affected by the conflict. A screenshot of the now deleted tweet was shared by News 18.


Earlier, news of the ceasefire was shared by the Ministry of External Affairs. The statement, which was issued on Saturday, read, "The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hours IST earlier today.
It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to the understanding."

The backlash was swift and unforgiving. Screenshots of the deleted tweet continued to circulate rapidly, keeping the controversy alive even after its removal. As of now, Salman Khan has neither apologized nor clarified his intentions, and his official social media handles remain silent on the issue.

One particularly scathing tweet summed up the anger by saying, “Salman Khan deletes tweet, never mentioned Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh and Aamir are silent too.” Another user bluntly demanded, “Boycott Salman Khan.”

Ceasefire Agreement Details:

Following days of fierce exchanges involving missiles, drones, and artillery strikes, India and Pakistan reached a formal ceasefire agreement. India had launched precise and devastating attacks on known terror launchpads in Pakistan as part of Operation Sindoor. In response, Pakistan mounted aggressive offensives targeting Indian civilians.

According to sources from MEA, the turning point came when Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations initiated talks with his Indian counterpart. The final agreement came only after Indian strikes left significant damage to Pakistani air force assets, pushing both countries toward a truce to prevent further escalation.