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Bollywood veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has erupted in anger over the indiscriminate lathi-charge on young students protesting on the streets of Delhi. Strongly condemning the violent role of the Delhi Police, he compared them to ‘goons’ and foreign agents. In a video message, the influential actor expressed his extreme outrage and urged the students on the streets not to lose courage but to continue their fight.
Naseeruddin Shah’s video was shared on the social media of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) immediately after the police attack during their ‘Chalo Sansad’ program. In the video, he stated with an intensely angry voice, ‘If an uneducated person leads this country, then their wish will be for the entire country to become as uneducated, imprudent, incompetent, and ruthless as themselves.’
Condemning the police attack on students, he said, ‘My heart is deeply saddened, and I am seething with rage. With masks on their faces and sticks in their hands, they are behaving like goons. I would tell these police officers to sometimes think about their own children. Also, consider that one day you too will have to face the consequences.’ Reassuring the protesting students, he added, ‘Do not lose courage; many people are with you. My faith in the young generation of the country has grown even stronger; we are by your side.’
On the other hand, the police claim they were forced to use force as the protesters acted aggressively. However, various circulating videos and eyewitness accounts reveal that the police indiscriminately lathi-charged and fired tear gas at unarmed students. Some unidentified individuals in plain clothes were also seen beating students with hammers and sticks.
The movement primarily originated in protest against various irregularities in the education system, including the medical entrance examination NEET, and question paper leaks. Amidst the protests, social activist Sonam Wangchuk has already begun a hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Additionally, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was taken into police custody after staging a protest in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in support of the demonstrators. Despite initial discussions with the government, the movement has intensified following the brutal actions of the Delhi Police.