Naseeruddin Shah speaks out on the student movement: 'Everything  will be in our mind'

Amid the ongoing student protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah has now broken his silence. He expressed strong anger over the police charging batons on the protesters and also voiced solidarity with the agitating students. The clashes between protesters and police occurred on Monday during the 'Chalo Sansad' (March to Parliament) programme. Later, Naseeruddin Shah shared his stance in a video message posted on social media.

At the beginning of the video, he said, "If the country's leadership is in the hands of someone who encourages ignorance and intolerance, then its impact falls on the entire society. If the right to question is suppressed without giving importance to education, rationality, and human values, then it is a matter of concern for the country's future."

Naseeruddin Shah said he studied at the National School of Drama (NSD) and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), and later also taught there. From that experience, he has learned a great deal from the younger generation. That is why he has special empathy for the protesting students.

He said, "The way students are being treated in the country today weighs heavily on my heart. I am also outraged. The way they have been attacked—with masked faces and batons in hand—can never be the identity of a democratic country."

"Those who are doing this should also think about their own children at least once. Because every action must be accounted for one day," he added.

Naseeruddin Shah did not just criticise; he also encouraged the protesting students. In his words, "Don't be disheartened. Countless people are standing by you. Continue the fight you have begun for truth and justice. I had faith in the country's younger generation, and I still do. In fact, it has only grown stronger than before."

In a brief message to the government, he said, "People will remember everything. With time, no incident fades away."

For the past several weeks, protests have been ongoing at Delhi's Jantar Mantar demanding reforms in the education system, investigation into irregularities in various competitive exams, and the resignation of the Union Education Minister over the NEET-UG paper leak case.

Recently, after social activist Sonam Wangchuk was removed from the protest site and taken to a hospital, the protesters announced the 'Chalo Sansad' programme. The clashes between police and protesters on that day sparked widespread debate across the country.

In the meantime, several other Bollywood celebrities, including Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Sonu Sood, Dia Mirza, Riteish Deshmukh, Swara Bhasker, Richa Chadha, and Diljit Dosanjh, have also publicly expressed support for the protesters.