Arijit Singh slams violence against protesting students: 'Aren't you ashamed?'

Dubai: Singer Arijit Singh has become one of the latest celebrities to speak out against the alleged police violence during the ongoing student protests in India, sharing a strongly worded message on social media.

Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) after videos of the clashes surfaced online, condemning the reported use of force against students. "Now you are beating the students. Aren't you ashamed? ... Everything will be remembered," the singer wrote on X.

The protests, led by the youth-driven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), erupted following allegations of irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET medical entrance examination.

Demonstrators have been demanding greater accountability and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Tensions escalated after police clashed with protesters during a march towards Parliament, with videos from the protest spreading rapidly across social media.

Arijit was not alone in voicing support for the students. Actors including Huma Qureshi, Sonakshi Sinha, Shashank Arora, Sanya Malhotra, Ishaan Khatter, Siddharth, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Rajat Barmecha also expressed solidarity with the protesters or criticised the alleged police action. However, icons such as Shah Rukh, Ranveer Singh, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma or other business/sporting idols are yet to comment publicly on the issue.

Singh's remarks come amid growing scrutiny of Bollywood celebrities over their responses to the protests. While several public figures have openly backed the students, others have faced criticism for remaining silent. Earlier today, ETimes reported that a Katrina Kaif fan page with more than 70,000 followers shut down, with its administrator citing disappointment over the actress's silence on the issue, reigniting the debate over whether celebrities have a responsibility to speak out on matters of public concern.