Naseeruddin Shah backs Jamia protesters; Rijiju calls him ‘urban naxal’

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has expressed support for protesting students at Jamia Millia Islamia and criticised the Centre over its handling of student demonstrations, prompting a sharp response from Union Minister Kiren Rijiju.

In a video shared on Facebook on Tuesday, Shah described himself as a “dimagi naxal” and said people critical of the government were often labelled anti-national or associated with the so-called tukde-tukde gang. He also raised concerns about the state of education, democratic institutions and the treatment of students at universities.

Referring to protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and Jamia Millia Islamia, the actor said the treatment of students would remain part of public memory. He also conveyed his solidarity with young people across the country.

Rijiju responded to the video in a post on X late Wednesday, expressing disappointment with Shah and describing his remarks as those of a dangerous urban intellectual Naxal. He said he had previously respected the actor but had not known about his views, adding that Shah’s remarks could be extremely harmful to Indian democracy.

The controversy comes as Jamia students continue their agitation seeking the restoration of the university’s students’ union, which has remained dissolved since 2006. The protest has brought renewed attention to students’ demands for representative bodies on campus.