Karan Veer Mehra, winner of Bigg Boss Season 18, has found himself in the middle of a heated controversy. After posting a video on his X handle where he recited a poem written by Ashutosh Rana, the actor started receiving waves of online hate. The poem, which touched on Hindu-Muslim unity and questioned religious divisions, was meant to condemn the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. But it didn’t sit well with everyone.
The Pahalgam attack shook the entire country. As per reports, terrorists opened fire on tourists and allegedly asked about their religion before killing. Hindus were said to have been targeted specifically. The horror of that day triggered nationwide grief and anger. In this tense atmosphere, Karan’s poem struck a sensitive nerve.
The poem questioned the very idea of dividing rivers, stars, and even breath by religion. It included lines like, “Shiv ki Ganga bhi paani hai, aabe zam zam bhi paani hai. Pandit bhi piye, Mulla bhi piye, toh paani ka majhab kya hoga?” It was an emotional call for unity. The actor appeared visibly shaken in the video. Yet the message was misread by some who believed he was trying to blur the line between victims and attackers.
Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav took a strong dig at Karan Veer Mehra. Without naming him directly, Elvish posted on X, “Pakistan se vote aaye the kya bhai?” The tweet went viral within minutes. Elvish’s followers backed him, applauding his anger. Karan’s fans, however, didn’t stay silent. A heated war of words broke out across social media platforms.
One of Karan’s supporters urged people to stop spreading hate and asked them to understand what the actor was really trying to say. They said the point was about humanity versus terrorism, and not about religion. “Being an Indian, humanity needs to be your religion first,” they added. Someone else went further, referencing Elvish’s past controversies. “Ek baar ghammand toda tha, phir se todega,” they wrote, adding that he should keep saying ‘sorry’ outside courtrooms.
The lines of the poem stirred emotions among viewers. It spoke of how names had been given to rivers and skies, but no one asked what religion the flowing waters belonged to. It pointed out that both the Ganga and Zamzam are water, both Hindus and Muslims drink it. The poem then asked, if air is shared by everyone, would religious extremists stop breathing it too? One of the boldest lines questioned, “Kya Allah ne mandir toda tha ya Ram ne masjid toda tha?” ending with the idea that people had stopped being human altogether.
Pakistan se vote aaye the kya bhai? https://t.co/lvIFTnRAlk
— Elvish Yadav (@ElvishYadav) April 24, 2025The controversy reflects the deep divides and raw emotions that surface after national tragedies. In a time of grief, messages of peace are often misinterpreted. Karan’s intention, as per his video, was to mourn the loss and remind people of their shared humanity. But the backlash shows how fragile the conversation around religion, identity, and patriotism remains in the country.