Veteran actress Shabana Azmi joined the ‘Sansad Chalo’ rally organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday, July 20, extending her support to the ongoing protest over the NEET papers leak controversy. The previous day, she had arrived at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to stand with students demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.The march is being led by CJP leader Abhijit Deepki and activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmu, while Wangchuk remains on an indefinite hunger strike at Safdarjung Hospital after Delhi Police forcibly removed him from the protest site on Saturday.A number of film personalities also expressed their solidarity with the movement, and urged the demonstrations to continue peacefully.Azmi, 75, walked alongside the students and fellow demonstrators as they made their way towards Parliament. Addressing PTI, she said: “We are here to organize a peaceful protest. This is a right guaranteed by our Constitution.”
Mahatma Gandhi
You taught us the path of nonviolence. We have no intention of resorting to violence.”The veteran actor also appealed to the media to focus on the underlying issues rather than the presence or absence of celebrities at the protest. “You are only concerned about the fact that Bollywood celebrities are not attending the march. You are not worried about the absence of industrialists, all businessmen. When you ask these questions, you are marginalizing the issue and creating unnecessary controversy. You should support those who are marching for this cause, instead of diluting it,” she told the media.
Speaking to Red Mike, Azmi revealed that she and her husband are lyricists
Javed Akhtar
He wrote to the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
He called on the government to start a dialogue with the demonstrators. “Main jo hai, pradhan mantri ko khat lekha. Javed saab ne khat lekha ke dikhye aap sirf ek dialogue start kare, press ke paas hum nahi ja rah. Hum isko ek general issue nahi panaying, hum sirf rajya sabha ke x sansad hain, toh hum sus lehaz ke ra hi hain, baat toh suniye.
Behl toh hum confession aya ki 2 din main aapko answer milega, 2 din main nahi aaya, 3 din main nahi aya, 4 din main nahi aya toh phir panchoi din hum yahan aa gaye (I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister.
Javed Saab also wrote a message saying: “Please just start a dialogue.” We won’t go to the press. We will not turn this into a public issue. As a former member of the Rajya Sabha, I am making this application in this capacity.
At least listen to us. Initially, we received an acknowledgment that we would receive a response within two days. There was no response in two days, nor in three, nor in four. On the fifth day we came here ourselves.)Actors Kavita Kaushik, famous for her role as Chandramukhi Chautala in FIR, and Chak De! Indian actress Vidya Mallavadi also expressed her support for the students and appealed to the authorities to allow peaceful demonstrations.Sharing a video on Instagram, Kavita addressed the Delhi Police with an emotional message. She said: “Delhi Police, I want to make a request to you. You all have families too – parents, children, siblings, relatives. God forbid, if they face a medical emergency, you want them to be treated by a real, competent doctor and not a fake doctor. This is exactly why these students are protesting. So, whatever happens, please do not raise your hand against children or citizens of my country.”
Don’t hurt them. That’s all I have to say. And do not show your strength in front of them.Vidya Malavade also took to Instagram to express her concern over the situation. “It is heartbreaking to see what is happening in our country right now. The way Sonam Wangchuk Ji has been treated is not only depressing but also extremely scary. But the dignity and grace that you Madam Gitanjali displays is the foundation on which this great country is built,” she wrote.She added, “Doesn’t every citizen have the right to protest peacefully against the injustices they face? It is incomprehensible to understand how these young students were driven to suicide. These students deserve dialogue and justice, and I stand with them. Chak di India!”
