Bollywood actors back CJP student protesters, several top stars remain silent
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Several Bollywood actors have expressed support for students protesting under the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) banner, with many condemning the use of force during a march to Jantar Mantar and calling for dialogue and accountability.
Actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj joined the protest in New Delhi on Monday, marching in solidarity with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and students demanding education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Pooja Bhatt criticised the use of force against students, while Sonakshi Sinha said the events of July 20 had broken the country's heart.
Aditi Rao Hydari called for respect, dignity and empathy towards students, saying young voices should be heard through constructive dialogue. Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Deshmukh issued a joint statement expressing solidarity with the youth, saying their voices deserved to be heard "loud, clear, and without fear."
Revathy Asha criticised the police action, comparing it to violence during India's freedom struggle. She said peaceful protests should be heard and discussed rather than met with force and also published an open letter addressed to police officers.
Bhumi Pednekar said violence could not be the answer and urged attention to the concerns of students affected by gaps in the education system.
Diljit Dosanjh urged authorities to listen to the students' demands and said he expected to be labelled "anti-national" again for speaking out, referring to criticism and legal issues he said he faced after supporting the 2020-21 farmers' protests.
Huma Qureshi, Sonu Sood, Dia Mirza, Soha Ali Khan and Rohit Saraf also expressed support for the protesters and called for peaceful dialogue and accountability.
The protest, organised over irregularities in the NEET medical entrance examination, also seeks the resignation of Pradhan. It also includes Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike after he was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police.
While several actors have spoken out, prominent Bollywood stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, and Ajay Devgn have not made any public statements on the issue. Their silence has drawn criticism from some social media users.