Anurag Kashyap, Huma Qureshi question police action after Delhi protest clashes: ‘A deep sense of sadness'

The streets outside Parliament became the latest flashpoint in India’s growing NEET-UG controversy on Monday, as thousands of students took their protest to the capital.

The ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), was held on July 20 as demonstrators demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG question paper leak earlier this year. The protest later descended into clashes, with videos showing Delhi Police using lathis and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The visuals triggered a wave of criticism online, with many accusing the police of using excessive force against the protesters. Among the public figures to speak out was filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

Sharing his thoughts on Instagram, Kashyap wrote, “Wardi pehenne ke liye aatma ka, aatmiyta ka, sabka sauda karna padta hai. Maloom nahi tha. Kya ek police wala hai is desh mein jo khada ho ke bol sake main iss Aadesh ka palan nahin karoonga kyonki ye galat hai (I didn’t know you have to sell your soul and conscience to wear a police uniform. Is there one police personnel in this country who can stand up and say I won’t follow this order because it is wrong).”

Actor Huma Qureshi was another celebrity to condemn the police response and voice her support for the students.

Sharing a statement on Instagram, she wrote, “Seeing peaceful protesters being met with such brute force and lathis left me with a deep sense of sadness. This surely could have been handled with more patience, more listening, and more dialogue. We, the people of India elected this government and today, we all need to ask questions and expect accountability. We are a huge diverse nation… we don’t all have to agree on every issue, but surely we can agree that every citizen deserves to be heard with dignity before force becomes the response. Respect to every student and every citizen who chose to stand peacefully for what they believe in.”

Vir Das also weighed in, criticising the response to the student protests while taking aim at what he described as the silence of parts of India’s live entertainment and film industry.

In a note shared on Instagram, the stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker wrote, “If you’re an Indian live artist. I hope you understand the sheer hypocrisy of not speaking up for young people, and then trying to sell them tickets later. The sheer luxury of being a silent viewer to what an Indian crowd cares about, and then expecting an Indian crowd to be loud and vocal and care about you. Apna apna dekh lo, lekin mere liye pahunch jaana. Doesn’t work. The concert economy in India is built on young people gathering in support. I get that ‘you’re not political’ which is subtext for ‘I’m really comfortable’. I always look at those statements and think, do you buddy. But today humbly, I’d submit to you that this issue isn’t political or partisan anymore. It’s just about the youth now. And you can support them by platforming what they care about. Beyond that, you do you.”

Riteish Deshmukh and his wife, Genelia Deshmukh, also expressed their support for the protesting students in a joint statement shared on X.

The CJP-led protest began on June 20, with educationist Sonam Wangchuk joining the movement on June 28. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite fast for more than 20 days, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rs 1 crore in compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

The July 20 march coincided with the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. Thousands of protesters took part in the ‘Chalo Sansad’ call, but the demonstration escalated after clashes broke out between the protesters and police. Bollywood celebrity Shabana Azmi also joined the protest.

Speaking to PTI Videos during the march, Azmi said the protesters were committed to keeping the demonstration 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," the 75-year-old veteran said.