CJP protests: Krishna Kumar hails crackdown, Ahana sides with students

New Delhi/Kochi: As several Malayalam film personalities extended their support to the nationwide student protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET paper leak and demands for education reforms, BJP leader and actor Krishna Kumar and filmmaker Major Ravi came out in support of the Centre and the Delhi Police's action against the protesters. While Krishna Kumar's stand was publicly contradicted by his daughter, actor Ahana Krishna, Major Ravi defended the police action and strongly criticised the agitation even as more actors and cultural figures voiced solidarity with the students.

Krishna Kumar backs police action; Ahana takes a different stand

Krishna Kumar shared a social media post featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a message suggesting that if the government could stop stone-pelting incidents in Kashmir, handling the protests in Delhi would not be difficult. The post, accompanied by the words "Jai Hind", came amid nationwide criticism over the police action against students protesting in Delhi.

The actor's post drew criticism on social media, with several users questioning the government's response to repeated examination paper leaks and urging him not to support action against students protesting over their future.

Soon after, his daughter, actor Ahana Krishna, expressed support for students affected by examination irregularities and the alleged NEET paper leak, taking a position different from that of her father.

In a social media statement, Ahana said every competitive examination represents years of preparation, sacrifice and hope for students and their families. She said it was painful to see students lose opportunities because of factors beyond their control and recalled knowing students whose examinations were cancelled after years of preparation, leaving them devastated.

She also pointed out that examination cancellations and paper leaks do not affect every student equally. While some students may recover from such setbacks, she said students from economically weaker families often depend on education as their only opportunity to improve their lives. When that hope is lost, she said, it affects not only a student but an entire family's aspirations.

Ahana further said those responsible for examination irregularities and question paper leaks should be investigated and punished, expressing hope that no student would have to face such hardships again.

Major Ravi defends police action, criticises protests, but backs Vismaya Mohanlal

Filmmaker and former Army officer Major Ravi also came out in support of the police action against the protesters. He said he was initially disturbed after seeing visuals of students being beaten by the police, but later claimed that he had looked into the incident and concluded that the situation was different from what the videos suggested. According to Major Ravi, the protest site had more politically interested participants than students. He also criticised celebrities who had travelled to Delhi in support of the agitation.

However, he defended actor Mohanlal's daughter Vismaya Mohanlal after she faced online criticism for supporting the protests. He said Vismaya's social media post reflected a humanitarian response after seeing students being assaulted and should not be viewed through a political lens. He described her as someone with little political awareness who reacted out of compassion.

He also defended Mohanlal, referring to the criticism the actor faced during the controversy surrounding the release of Empuraan, and suggested that the actor and his family had repeatedly become subjects of political criticism.

Major Ravi also made a series of claims regarding the background of the protests. He claimed that social activist Sonam Wangchuk had changed over the years after receiving significant financial support and alleged that the movement demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had external influences. He further claimed that the campaign was initiated by a person based in the United States and later attracted politically influenced youth through social media. These claims were made by Major Ravi and could not be independently verified.

Malayalam actors extend support

Support for the student protests continued to grow among Malayalam film personalities. Actor Manju Warrier expressed solidarity with the protesters, saying humanity should remain above politics and that young people have the democratic right to raise questions, express concerns and protest peacefully. She also stressed the need to preserve the credibility of India's examination system and strengthen public confidence by ensuring merit, honesty and fairness.

Superstar Mammootty also issued a statement supporting the students, calling for the credibility of the country's examination system to be protected and for young people to retain faith in justice and merit.

Actor Dulquer Salmaan also extended support to the agitation, describing education as a symbol of hope, opportunity and a better future. He expressed concern over the uncertainty faced by students and the emotional and financial burden borne by their families, urging society to respond with empathy rather than division and to listen more carefully to young people.

Actors Asif Ali and Vismaya Mohanlal were also among those who voiced support for the protests, while several cultural figures expressed solidarity with the agitation.

Saradakkutty questions silence

Writer S. Saradakkutty, meanwhile, criticised what she described as the silence of several senior figures in the Malayalam film industry during a crucial moment. Referring to the positions taken by younger personalities such as Dulquer Salmaan and Vismaya Mohanlal, she said public influence carries a moral responsibility and argued that remaining silent at critical moments amounts to cowardice. She also said the younger generation's willingness to speak independently, even when it differs from the positions of their parents or seniors, offers hope for a more socially responsible public discourse.