Shabana Azmi joins CJP NEET protest march, reveals appeal to PM Modi: ‘At least hear us out’

Shabana Azmi joined the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), standing alongside demonstrators as they headed towards Parliament. Her appearance came amid growing support from film personalities for the movement, which has raised questions over the alleged NEET paper leak, demanded accountability from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for wider reforms in the examination system.

The march was led by CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke and Gitanjali Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk. Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike, is currently at Safdarjung Hospital after being removed from the protest site by Delhi Police on Saturday.

Shabana Azmi: ‘Don’t dilute the cause’

For Azmi, the presence of celebrities was not supposed to become the story.

Speaking to the media, the actor objected to the focus on which Bollywood personalities had or had not joined the march, arguing that attention should remain on the students and the issues they were raising.

“You are only worried about the fact that Bollywood celebrities are not present at the march,” she said, questioning why the absence of industrialists and businessmen did not attract the same attention.

Azmi warned that such questions could shift the conversation away from the protest itself.

“You are sidelining the cause and creating unnecessary controversy. You should support those who are marching for this cause, rather than diluting the matter,” she said.

She also made it clear that the demonstration was intended to be peaceful. “We are here to hold a peaceful protest. This is a right guaranteed by our Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi taught us the path of non-violence. We have no intention of resorting to violence,” she told PTI.

Azmi reveals letter to PM Modi

The actor also said that she and her husband, lyricist and former Rajya Sabha MP Javed Akhtar, had tried to initiate a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before joining the protest.

Speaking to Red Mike, Azmi said the couple had written to Modi asking him to open a dialogue. They had not approached the media, she said, because they did not want to turn the issue into a public confrontation.

Azmi said the letter was sent in their capacity as former Rajya Sabha members, with a request that the concerns be heard. Although they initially received an acknowledgment promising a response, she said several days passed without one.

“So, on the fifth day, we came here ourselves,” she said.

Vidya Malavade stands with the protesters

Chak De! India actor Vidya Malavade also criticised the situation in an Instagram post, describing the treatment of Sonam Wangchuk as deeply troubling.

She praised Gitanjali Angmo for the dignity she has shown while continuing to stand by the movement and questioned why citizens should not be allowed to protest peacefully when they believe they have been wronged.

Malavade also referred to the anguish among young students and said their concerns could not simply be ignored.

“These students deserve dialogue and justice, and I stand by them. Chak De India!” she wrote.

Wangchuk’s hunger strike began on June 28 as part of the CJP-led campaign. The protesters have sought answers over the alleged NEET paper leak, demanded Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and called for greater transparency and reform in the country’s examination system.

The movement has also repeatedly called for dialogue with the government.