Actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut is closely monitoring the nationwide debates surrounding the NEET protests. Amidst the ongoing controversy, she shifted her focus to celebrate the success of NEET UG 2026 topper Vaishnavi Das, hailing her achievement through Instagram Story.Kangana reposted a video of Vaishnavi’s interview which went viral on the internet. The Hyderabad-based student secured All India Rank (AIR) 20 after scoring 700 points out of 720 in the exam. During the interview, Vaishnavi shared that she was celebrating Rath Yatra with her parents when the results were announced. Reacting to these details, Kangana reflected on the role of faith in success.Sharing the clip on Instagram Stories, Kangana wrote, “I have never seen or met an atheist/winner.
They always know that the hard work was theirs, but the blessing came from somewhere else. Her post came after Vaishnavi described the emotional moment she found out about her rank.Speaking to ANI, Vaishnavi recalled that she and her family were attending Rath Yatra celebrations when the NEET results were announced. What started as a celebratory family outing quickly turned into a life-changing memory.“I was not home when the results came out. I was in the car with my parents as it was the Rath Yatra, and since I am Odia, we went to watch the celebrations.
We had just passed the temple when the results were released, I shouted “20” to my parents. We parked the car on the side of the road and sat there. I cried, and the whole trip felt unbelievable. “It’s still sinking in,” she added.Earlier this week, Kangana also addressed the ongoing protests while speaking to ANI during the monsoon session in Parliament. She said that Parliament is the appropriate forum to discuss national issues and seek to hold the government accountable.She said: “Our parliamentary session is continuing, so that we can discuss all the issues in detail, and the government will be responsible for everything. This is its purpose, and we want the session to continue and for them to ask their questions there, but if they create noise and cause chaos there, as they are doing in this protest, then this is not right.”The actor-politician also objected to the demands seeking the dismissal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying governments should not be forced to take such decisions.“You cannot force the government to take a decision on who to sack and who to retain. This arm-twisting is not a good thing,” Ranaut said.Vaishnavi Das’ achievement comes at a time when NEET continues to dominate public discourse. The controversy erupted after allegations of paper leak raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the examination, sparking anger among thousands of medical aspirants across the country.Since then the debate has expanded beyond the exam itself. Reports of several students dying due to suicide amid the intense stress associated with NEET preparation have raised concerns about the mental health of aspirants and demands for more accountability within the education system.As public anger intensified, a satirical citizens’ movement called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) emerged as a prominent symbol of protest.
The name is inspired by a remark in which Chief Justice of India Surya Kant allegedly referred to unemployed youth activists as “cockroaches”. Rather than turning away from the term, many students adopted it as a badge of resistance. What started as an online campaign quickly evolved into street demonstrations, with students, parents, teachers and supporters gathering at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and in several other cities.The protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of the students who died by suicide, and the release of the activist.
Sonam Wangchuk
who was forcibly hospitalized while on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
