‘This is not the first time this government has show us the ‘darkest day of democracy”
Key Points
- ‘Our students need hugs, not batons, arms to embrace, not to strike.’
- ‘Students should not have been treated like this. I request the authorities to listen to the students’ demands.’
- ‘They are the heartbeat of our democracy and the true architects of our nation’s future.’
Film stars are rallying around the youth of the country, as they are protesting in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, and expressing their solidarity.
The protest ‘Chalo Sansad’ was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party. Thousands of protestors marched towards Parliament demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and protesting against exam paper leaks.
While Shabana Azmi joined the protestors, other film folk have taken to social media to give a shoutout to the protests
‘The future of our country deserves a hug, not a lathi‘
Sonu Sood weighed in on the ongoing mounting tensions surrounding student demonstrations through a public message urging for handling them with compassion instead of batons.
In a post on X, he wrote, ‘Our students need hugs, not batons, arms to embrace, not to strike. The future of our country deserves a hug, not a lathi.’
‘I have already been labelled an ‘anti-national’ several times’
Plabita Borthakur noted the police detentions in Dadar, central Mumbai, where protesters were dragged into vans. Despite police efforts to stop demonstrations, some managed to coordinate a silent march, which was also eventually stopped and most protesters detained.
Diljit Dosanjh was previously asked about his comments on the protests, but the actor-singer had distanced himself, stating he was ‘an artiste, not a politician’.
He later shared a note on Instagram: ‘What happened today was very wrong. Students should not have been treated like this. I request the authorities to listen to the students’ demands.’
The actor said he faced a lot of backlash and legal issues after voicing his support during the farmers’ protest in 2020, and that he has often been referred to as ‘anti-nationalist’.
‘I have already been labelled an ‘anti-national’ several times. Even now, I know I will be called anti-national again…After the farmers’ protest, I faced a lot of backlash and legal problems that I still cannot even discuss,’ he said.
‘We stand in solidarity with the youth of our country’
Riteish Deshmukh and his wife Genelia shared a joint statement, as they voiced their support to the protesting students.
‘We stand in solidarity with the youth of our country. Their voices deserve to be heard — loud, clear, and without fear. They are the heartbeat of our democracy and the true architects of our nation’s future.
‘Let us listen, support, and empower them. The energy, courage, and dreams of our young people will shape the India we aspire to build. Jai Hind. Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh,’ the statement read.
Sonakshi Sinha: ‘Poore Desh Ka Dil Toota’
Mallika Prasad: ‘This is not the first time this government has show us the ‘darkest day of democracy’
Swara Bhasker: ‘This is India’s democracy. Shameful state of affairs’
Sayani Gupta: ‘These are your children. Hear them’
With inputs from PTI
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Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
