Actress Shalini Pandey shared an emotional note after attending the students' protest held at Mumbai's Shivaji Park this week. She expressed admiration for the resilience of the students, calling them "brave hearts" and saying the experience left a lasting impact on her.
The nationwide protests, which began in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination, have spread to several cities, with students demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Shalini posted several photos and videos from the Mumbai demonstration and opened up on her experience.
“I was there. This is what I saw, what I felt, and what I will carry with me. To every brave heart I met while I was there, thank you for the steel in your spines, the resilience in your souls, and for the reminder that nothing can crush hope,” she wrote, adding in Hindi, “A salute to these brave hearts. Jai Hind.”
Shalini Pandey applauds Shabana Azmi
Apart from expressing support for the protesting students, Shalini also praised veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who participated in the Cockroach Janata Party protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Sharing a video of Shabana on her Instagram story, she wrote, “May we all be blessed with a little of her courage, integrity, resilience, and fearless heart. @azmishabana.”
In the video, Shabana revealed that she and lyricist Javed Akhtar had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting a dialogue with Sonam Wangchuk.
“Javed Akhtar saab had written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting that he initiate a dialogue with Sonam (Wangchuk) sir to hear him out. We are not going to the press; we requested him directly. So, we’re hoping that he responds,” Shabana said.
She further added, “We received a response from his office that he would reply in two days. We waited, two days passed, three days passed, four days passed, and only then did I come here.”
The veteran actor also criticised attempts to misrepresent the purpose of the protest.
“And why is this being projected as something else? The kind of things women using the washrooms at night have to hear, I feel ashamed that people of our country can behave this way. But we must not fear.”
Several other celebrities, including Gurfateh Pirzada, Pratibha Ranta and Akasa Singh, also shared photos and videos after participating in the Mumbai protest. Earlier this week, actors Prakash Raj and Shabana Azmi, along with rapper Hanumankind, joined students during the 'Chalo Sansad' march in the national capital.
The demonstrations saw police action, including a lathi charge and the use of tear gas, following which several members of the film industry voiced their support for the protesters. The Cockroach Janata Party protest continues at Jantar Mantar.
