An estimated 50,000 protesters took to the streets of the national capital on Monday to demand the resignation of the Education Minister. Dharmendra Pradhanaccording to reports. Protests continued over the next few days, spreading to Mumbai as well. In the wake of these demonstrations, several Bollywood actors have expressed their support for the students. Two days after the Delhi Police charged protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) Chalo Sansad march, the actor Ishaan Khatter spoke out on the subject, calling himself a “student first” and a professional second.
Ishaan Khatter shares photos from Delhi and Mumbai protests
In his latest post, Ishaan shared several photos of the ongoing protests in both Delhi and Mumbai. One image showed model Rhiya Ahir, 27, who emerged as a prominent face of the Shivaji Park protest on Wednesday after she stood in front of a police van carrying arrested protesters as part of demonstrations demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged exam irregularities. Another photo showed a woman shielding other protesters from a lathi charge by the Delhi Police.The actor wrote in the caption, “In solidarity. No monologues. May our voices be heard and no one else should be harmed by this. I am a student before I am a professional. I am a proud Indian today because of the strength and resilience of our youth. जय हिन्द.”
Ishaan Khatter’s post comes amid NEET paper leaks
The protests started after a NEET paper leak came to light, angering many medical aspirants and making them question whether the exam was fair. Things got worse when reports came out that several students had committed suicide, and people blamed it on the enormous pressure and stress caused by the exam. Since then, students, parents and supporters have gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and other cities as well, demanding accountability and changes in the system. The protest is led by a group called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). It got this name after Chief Justice Surya Kant called young unemployed activists “cockroaches”. The protesters then adopted the word themselves, making it a symbol of their struggle.Among the main demands of the protesters are the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union Education Minister, a compensation of ₹1 crore to the families of the students who committed suicide and an activist. Sonam Wangchukthe release
Ishaan Khatter joins the list of Bollywood stars supporting the protests
As the student protests continue to turn into a national movement, several actors including Alia Bhatt, Salman Khan, Huma Qureshi, Saqib Saleem, Sonakshi SinhaPrakash Raj, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Amol Parasher, et al Swara Bhaskeramong others, have come forward to share their views on the ongoing demonstrations.