Naseeruddin Shah says celebs who remain silent on students’ protest are like ‘dogs with bones’
Naseeruddin Shah has supported the students protesting at Jantar Mantar and raised questions on the silence of Bollywood. His comments came as the ongoing agitation over exam irregularities and alleged police action received widespread support from the film industry.
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has questioned Bollywood’s silence on the ongoing students’ protest at Jantar Mantar demanding education reforms and said that many celebrities may remain silent because it suits them. talking to WireShah said some A-list stars did not speak out even as the protests made national headlines last week.
His comments came hours after he released a video message expressing solidarity with the students protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and criticizing the police action against them. The protests, which began last month, have intensified in recent days as students are demanding talks with the central government and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. neet paper leak and other irregularities in the examination system.
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When asked why many top film stars remained silent, Shah said, “They will do so when their conscience tells them to. There is a saying: A dog with a bone in its mouth cannot bark. The moment the bone falls out of their mouth, or their teeth are broken, then they will bark.” When asked if he believed people were suppressing their conscience because they were benefiting from their silence, he replied, “Absolutely, yes,” adding, “And how long can they do that? Time will tell.”
In his video message, Shah said, “I would like to say two things to all of you. The first thing is that if an uneducated person leads this country, his heart would want the entire country to be as ignorant, incomprehensible and heartless as him. Having completed two brilliant acting courses from the National School of Drama (NSD) and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), what I have learned most about the art is from the children I tried to teach. Is.”
He condemned the alleged treatment of the protesters, saying, “I sympathize with them. I am emotional and at the same time it makes my blood boil to see how the youth are being tortured by goons who remind me of masked agents in America. Think about your children too. One day, you too will have to face the consequences of your actions.”
Addressing the students directly, Shah urged them to continue their agitation despite difficulties. He said, “Sometimes think about your children and also think that one day you too will have the same fate. I want to tell all those children not to lose hope. Many people sympathize with you. Many people are with you. Keep fighting. I have always expected a lot from the youth of the country and my faith in them has become stronger now. I also want to say to the government, everything will be remembered (Everything will be remembered).”
In the last two days, many members of the film industry Those who have publicly supported the students include Ratna Pathak Shah, Sonu Sood, Dia Mirza, Shabana Azmi, Swara Bhaskar, Prakash Raj, Diljit Dosanjh, Riteish Deshmukh, Vir Das, Genelia Deshmukh, Richa Chadha, Sonakshi Sinha, Varun Grover, Anurag Kashyap, Vasan Bala, Seema Pahwa, Rajkummar Rao, Saumya Tandon and Aayush Sharma.
The protests at Jantar Mantar intensified after teacher and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk launched an indefinite hunger strike, which has now entered its 26th day. On Monday, students across the country marched towards Parliament as the monsoon session began, and video of Delhi Police attempting to stop the march sparked widespread debate online.
Shah’s comments and video message come at a time when the students’ protests are receiving support from some sections of the film industry, even as he has questioned the silence of many others. He publicly supported the students, criticized alleged police actions and said that the protesters should not lose hope as their demand for talks with the government continued.