Bollywood celebrities went all out in supporting the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) led protest, where students from Delhi University and other affiliated colleges united to stand in opposition to Dharmendra Pradhan, the current Minister of Education in India. Some extended support through social media, while others marked their attendance physically to back them. Celebrities standing for the cause not just motivated the protestors but also expressed their views openly on public platforms, especially at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. There were visuals of actors getting injured during the lathi charge.
While a large section of citizens stands by the students, now protesting in various cities in the country, here’s looking at the celebrities who went for protests, engaged with the youth and backed them.
Shabana Azmi
Shabana Azmi has been stationed at Jantar Mantar with lakhs of students since July 19. The actress interacted with Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of Cockroach Janata Party, and National President of All India Students’ Association, Neha Bora. On Monday, during the physical tension, mobbing and lathi charge, Shabana travelled in trucks with the students and went on with the day despite suffering from health issues.
Prakash Raj
Prakash Raj has been in Delhi since Sunday, July 19. The veteran actor has been vocal about his support towards the cause. Similar to Shabana, Prakash was seen with students in a truck that was reportedly attacked by the police.
Swara Bhasker
Swara Bhasker went to Delhi to meet Sonam Wangchuk before his hospitalisation. Instead of Delhi, she had joined the protest in Mumbai on Monday. She claimed that her husband, Fahad Ahmad, was detained at Chaitya Bhoomi on July 20.
Kunickaa Sadanand
Actress-turned-lawyer Kunickaa Sadanand joined the protest in Delhi on Monday. The former Bigg Boss contestant has been vocal about standing by the students. In various interviews, she condemned the violence during the protest.
Hanumankind
Hanumankind, a globally known rapper, visited Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Monday to stand in solidarity with the protesting students. He shared pictures from the protest on Instagram.
Amol Parashar
Amol Parashar was at Jantar Mantar on July 20. The actor shared his experience on Instagram. Recalling the violence, lathi charge and tear gas emission, he wrote in one of the slides, “Young people bleeding on the road, their friends crying for help. Some just shocked and in disbelief, asking the cops “hum aapke bacche nahi hain kya?”. They came asking for better education, they left with a harsh lesson: no one cares about you.” He further wrote, “I cried myself to sleep last night.
Thinking about those who must have reached home with broken limbs and spirit, finally with network on their phones, and opened it to see that they had been called Pakistanis, paid agents, Chinese agents, foreign hands by their own fellow countrymen.”
Poonam Pandey
Poonam Pandey joined the peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on July 19. She appealed to people not to turn the issue into a political or religious debate.
Pratibha Ranta
Pratibha Ranta, known for her role in Laapataa Ladies, was at Shivaji Park on Tuesday to support the protesting students. She shared multiple pictures from the protest on Instagram.
Gurfateh Pirzada
Gurfateh Pirzada, popularly known for his performance in Class and Call Me Bae, joined the protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai with Pratibha Ranta. In a detailed Instagram caption, he revealed losing followers after supporting protesting students.
The ongoing protests across the country have garnered attention. However, there’s no solution to the matter yet.