Salman, Kareena, Alia, Kamal Haasan and many more: Stars rally behind protesting students

New Delhi: Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kamal Haasan... Mainstream stars from India's showbiz industry, which is often accused of staying silent on important issues, have joined the chorus of support for students who faced police action during protests demanding reform in education system.

Salman became the first of the Khan troika, also including Shah Rukh and Aamir, to speak out in favour of students in a carefully worded statement where he hailed the demand of the youth for better education while cautioning against the "andolan" being hijacked politically.

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"It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt. Paper leak is a very serious issue, and I am glad to know and see that the kids of our country have come together for a better educational system, and their parents supported them," the actor wrote on X on Wednesday night.

Spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in the exam system, including NEET paper leaks, spiralled into violence on Monday in Delhi and in other cities too with police using batons and teargas shells.

"This issue is between the students and the educational system, it should not be hijacked politically...," Salman wrote.

Kareena said, "I've sat with this for a few days, but I can't sit with it any longer. The voices of so many young people asking to be heard are impossible to ignore... and they shouldn't be."

"...When an entire generation speaks with one voice about its own future, listening isn't a courtesy we extend. It's an obligation we owe them. Our children are watching us as closely as we watch them. How we respond now... not eventually, now... will tell them everything about whether fairness and trust are real, or just words adults use," she wrote in an emotional social media statement.

Alia said the courage shown by students has humbled her.

"The last few days have broken my heart and then mended it, again and again, with hope. Behind every student standing their ground is a dream, a family's hope, a journey of countless sacrifices. They represent not just themselves but everyone who has supported them, while creating a better path for those who will come after them," she wrote on Instagram.

"For the students. By the students. The future is theirs," Alia added.

Tamil superstar and politician Kamal Haasan strongly criticised the police brutality shown towards students.

"We should have listened to when one child cried. Instead, we waited until far too many of our children died. A system where coaching replaces learning, anxiety replaces curiosity, and criminality replaces merit is rotten.

"A nation has failed when its children are met with barricades and batons instead of answers," Haasan wrote on X, while also urging activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike.

Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 after he joined the CJP's agitation. He was earlier forcibly shifted to Safdarjung Hospital by police, and was later moved to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram following a Delhi High Court order.

Hollywood star John Cusack, who had voiced his support for anti-CAA protests in 2019 as well as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "Bharat Jodo Yatra" in 2024, shared an article by author Arundhati Roy, who criticised the Delhi Police for using excessive force on students during their 'Chalo Sansad' march earlier this week.

"Beautiful news from my fellow cockroach," he wrote.

"Panchayat" star Raghubir Yadav said he is heartbroken watching videos of students being "beaten heartlessly and mercilessly" during their march towards Parliament on Monday.

"What should I say... These marked men, wearing the khakhi uniform, have beaten the children at whoever's behest and have shown the cruelty... They will not be forgiven by the universe...

"To children who are marching on with courage, every part of my being is with them. I salute the children. I am with you and the courage that you have shown, you will prevail," he said in a video message.

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi was among the first from the industry to not only voice her support but actually stand by the students at Jantar Mantar.

Her contemporary and co-star Naseeruddin Shah shared a video calling out the government while reaffirming his faith in the youth of the country. His wife, actor Ratna Pathak Shah, also praised students for demanding accountability.

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"Right now, my heart is aching, and I am also boiling with anger to see how our kids are being meted out injustice by these goons who remind me of American ICE agents, wearing masks and carrying sticks," Shah said.

"To the children, I want to say that don't lose courage as sympathies of many are with you. There are many who are with you, keep fighting... And to the rulers of this country, I just want to say this, 'sab yaad rakha jaayega' (everything will be remembered)," he added.

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh was scathing after the clashes on Monday.

"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 voice of the people is the voice of God," Diljit wrote in Punjabi on his Intagram Stories.

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali shared articles and photos about the protests and wrote, "All we have to do for our future is to listen to it. #onenation."

His contemporaries Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane have spoken out for the students demanding accountability.

Mumbai, the hub of the Hindi film industry, has also witnessed protests in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party-led students' agitation in New Delhi. Actors Imran Khan and Alaya F, rapper Raftaar, and singer Anuv Jain were among the celebrities who joined demonstrators in the financial capital.

Ayesha Khan, who shot to fame with her viral song "Shararat" from "Dhurandhar", was detained by the Mumbai Police in Dadar on Wednesday while attempting to join a solidarity protest.

Naseeruddin Shah's son Vivaan was seen attending the protest at Shivaji Park in Dadar. The "Ikkis" actor shared a video from the protest and captioned it, "Azadi".

Earlier, artists like Sonakshi Sinha, Pratibha Ranta, Anmol Parashar, Rajkummar Rao, rapper Hanumankind, Seema Pahwa, Zoya Akhtar, Richa Chadha and Swara Bhasker spoke in favour of the protests.

Huma Qureshi was seen at the Jantar Mantar protest site so was Hanumankind.

From South cinema, actors Revathy, Tovino Thomas, Vijay Sethupathi, filmmaker Pa Ranjith and many others have been sharing posts about the protests.

In Ahmedabad, noted Gujarati film and theatre actor Jigna Vyas joined the protest in solidarity with students outside Gujarat University's main campus and was later detained by police along with several student leaders.