Following the student protest in India, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post. Several Bollywood celebrities stood in solidarity with the students and the famous lyricist By Manoj Muntashir also expressed his support to the students demanding justice for the NEET paper leak. However, he questioned the direction and representation of the protests. Speaking exclusively to us, he called for systemic reforms, but also mentioned what he found wrong with the student protest.
Manoj Muntashir expresses his reservations about students’ agitation against NEET leaks
“Students must be listened to. How can there be another opinion about it? Whatever they say, and if even one student has lost his life, the whole system should be responsible. And we are seeing that today the office of the Prime Minister has also arrived,” expressed the famous lyricist in front of Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.“He has formed the SIT. It is written in the office of the Prime Minister that he will punish all the criminals who have contributed to the NEET paper leak,” he added.Then, sharing what he found wrong with the movement, he said, “At the same time, what is happening in Jantar Mantar? What was that? Do we want this country to become Bangladesh? Do we want to see ourselves becoming Nepal? How the youth is being misled, the youth of this country deserve better representation.”
Manoj Muntashir says he is not against the student movement; does not agree with the representation
“The issue that was there, the issue of NEETs is a very big issue,” he said before asking, “Have we talked about that issue?”“We have to listen to the students 100%. And I’m sure that the result of this movement will be something positive. Their pain, their suffering will reach our Prime Minister, it will reach the government. And it’s coming. I see it’s coming. That’s it,” he added.“It’s not like the paper leak happened for the first time. It happened before too. So there is a problem in the system. And this problem is not of ministers and governments. It has happened in previous governments, and it is also happening in this government. So there is a problem. It’s a rotten system. Please fix this system,” he clarified.Elaborating on his point, he said, “If someone says that someone should come forward to defend the system, then that person is wrong. There is no defending the system. I’m completely with the students here.”“But I am not with those who are traitors. I am not with those who say that India is broken,” he concluded.