Anurag Kashyap questions police action against CJP protesters; Vir Das slams ‘silent artistes’

Stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker Vir Das also criticised the response to the protests, while questioning the silence of several members of the film industry. Sharing a note on Instagram, he wrote, “If you’re an Indian live artist. I hope you understand the sheer hypocrisy of not speaking up for young people, and then trying to sell them tickets later. The sheer luxury of being a silent viewer to what an Indian crowd cares about, and then expecting an Indian crowd to be loud and vocal and care about you. Apna apna dekh lo, lekin mere liye pahunch jaana. Doesn’t work. The concert economy in India is built on young people gathering in support. I get that ‘you’re not political’ which is subtext for ‘I’m really comfortable’. I always look at those statements and think, do you buddy. But today humbly, I’d submit to you that this issue isn’t political or partisan anymore. It’s just about the youth now. And you can support them by platforming what they care about. Beyond that, you do you.”

Actor Riteish Deshmukh also expressed solidarity with the protesting students by sharing a joint statement with his wife, Genelia Deshmukh, on X. It read, “We stand in solidarity with the youth of our country. Their voices deserve to be heard, loud, clear, and without fear. They are the heartbeat of our democracy and the true architects of our nation’s future. Let us listen, support, and empower them. The energy, courage, and dreams of our young people will shape the India we aspire to build. Jai Hind. Genelia & Riteish Deshmukh.”

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Actor Huma Qureshi also voiced her support for the students and criticised the police action. Sharing a statement on Instagram, she wrote, “Seeing peaceful protesters being met with such brute force and lathis left me with a deep sense of sadness. This surely could have been handled with more patience, more listening, and more dialogue. We, the people of India elected this government and today, we all need to ask questions and expect accountability. We are a huge diverse nation… we don’t all have to agree on every issue, but surely we can agree that every citizen deserves to be heard with dignity before force becomes the response. Respect to every student and every citizen who chose to stand peacefully for what they believe in.”

What happened at the protest?

The CJP-led protest began on June 20, with educationist Sonam Wangchuk joining the movement on June 28. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite fast for more than 20 days, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rs 1 crore in compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

On Monday, coinciding with the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, thousands of protesters marched towards Parliament as part of the ‘Chalo Sansad’ call. The demonstration, however, escalated after clashes broke out between protesters and police. Delhi Police claimed some demonstrators engaged in unruly behaviour, prompting security personnel to use force to control the crowd.