After the University of Delhi issued a notice asking students to stay away from the protests taking place across the city and avoid Jantar Mantar, actor and director. Pooja Bhatt strongly criticized the move. He argued that the institution should stand up for students’ “right to speak” instead of trying to suppress it.
DU asks students to avoid illegal gatherings
On Thursday, Delhi University posted an advisory on social media asking all students to avoid “illegal assemblies”, including the protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The message read, “Dear students and teachers, your safety is important to us. Please note that any illegal assembly or demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, which is strictly regulated as per the guidelines of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, may invite legal action.” These activities can also pose serious risks to students’ personal safety and significantly affect their academic progress and career opportunities. Accordingly, all students are requested to stay away from Jantar Mantar and prioritize their safety and law enforcement. Additionally, we advise you to exercise caution as a significant amount of false and misleading content is being created and circulated to fuel the situation.”
Pooja Bhatt slams DU’s notice against protests
A few hours later, Pooja Bhatt reacted to DU’s message by sharing it on Twitter (now X), writing, “Students’ safety is most at risk if their voices are suppressed. If we are truly invested in their future, we must support their right to speak instead of maintaining a conspiracy of silence.”
Pooja Bhatt’s remarks come amid nationwide Jantar Mantar protests
At Jantar Mantar, New Delhi’s designated protest site, thousands of young protesters, brought together by the Cockroach Janta Party, have gathered to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the education system, including the leaking of NEET exam papers. The protests are not limited to the capital either, as they have spread to dozens of other Indian cities including Mumbai and Bangalore. “This movement will not stop until we get Pradhan’s resignation,” the CJP said in a post on X. “We will fight together, we will win together.” For his part, Pradhan has responded defiantly to the protests, accusing the Congress party of using “students as political tools to manufacture disruption”.
Sonam Wangchuk end the hunger strike
Sonam Wangchuk, the educator who had been fasting for more than 20 days in solidarity with the protesting students, broke her hunger strike on Friday morning. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a statement stating that the accused in the NEET leak case have been arrested and that fast track courts are being set up to ensure the case moves forward quickly.