Hollywood star John Cusack rallies behind India’s NEET protesters: ‘My favourite fellow cockroach’
Cusack shared Roy’s piece, Cockroach Democracy: Unarmed and Dangerous
Hollywood actor John Cusack has once again stepped into India’s student protest debate, this time throwing his support behind the ongoing agitation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination system.
The High Fidelity actor shared an essay by author and activist Arundhati Roy on X, days after clashes broke out between protesters and Delhi Police during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in New Delhi.
Cusack shared Roy’s piece, Cockroach Democracy: Unarmed and Dangerous, which criticised the alleged use of force against students during their march towards Parliament.
Alongside the article, the actor wrote: “Beautiful news from my favorite fellow cockroach.”
The post comes as student-led protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and wider concerns about India’s examination system continue to draw support from public figures.
John Cusack has previously backed student protests in India
This is not the first time Cusack has spoken out in support of student movements in India. In 2019, the actor backed protests against the amended Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and criticised the police action against students at Jamia Millia Islamia University.
His latest post comes amid a growing wave of celebrity support for the NEET protests, which have continued for more than a month.
What happened during the CJP’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march?
Tensions escalated on Monday when thousands of students and supporters gathered in Delhi following the CJP’s call for a ‘Chalo Sansad’ march. Protesters called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other irregularities in the country’s examination system.
Delhi Police claimed that some protesters displayed “unruly, aggressive, and violent behaviour” and refused to leave the area despite repeated warnings and prohibitory orders.
Protesters, however, accused the police of using excessive force, alleging that demonstrators were indiscriminately lathi-charged. Videos shared on social media appeared to show police using batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Some protesters also alleged that people in civilian clothes, without visible police identification, assaulted demonstrators.
Clashes were reported again on Wednesday along Sansad Marg after protesters moved onto the main road. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, while some protesters were accused of pelting stones and chasing police personnel towards Connaught Place.
According to Delhi Police, five personnel—including two ACPs, an inspector, a head constable and a constable—were injured during the violence.
Why are students protesting?
The CJP-led agitation has focused on alleged large-scale irregularities in India’s education and examination systems, with the NEET paper leak among the central concerns. Protesters have also demanded greater accountability from the government over the handling of competitive examinations.
Earlier this month, social activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the agitation and began a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in support of the students.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi also joined the protests earlier this week, staging an agitation outside the Prime Minister’s residence alongside Congress leaders before being detained by police.
