Gujarat Plane Crash: Astrologer’s Insensitive Tweet

How far would you go to gain attention? This is the question many people had in their minds after Sharmishtha, a self-identified Vedic astrologer, shared an update on X this Thursday.

Her tweet came in the wake of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed over 200 lives. While expressing sorrow, her post also referenced her earlier predictions where she warned people to avoid travelling.

This post of hers has since sparked a debate about sensitivity and the ethics of forecasting disasters.

Here’s what Sharmistha said, ““It is very unfortunate that we lost so many lives in Air India crash in Ahmedabad today,” she posted. “Jupiter is yet to enter Ardra, and India’s Mars Mahadasha is yet to begin, yet so much has already started… I’m unable to reply to everyone. Apologies for that. Om Shanti.”

The tweet drew flak from many users who accused her of insensitivity and capitalizing on tragedy for validation. Critics pointed out that regardless of belief in astrology, using a catastrophic event as a moment to highlight predictive accuracy was inappropriate on the astrologer’s part.

There is no denying that it would also be disrespectful to the grieving families who are yet to recover from whatever happened within the span of a moment.

While astrology holds cultural and personal significance for many, shouldn’t public figures tread carefully during national tragedies? Compassion should come before validation, not some unwanted spotlights or self-congratulatory posts.