Shah and Azmi decry violence near Parliament, back NEET protesters
Several Bollywood celebrities are standing with students protesting the NEET exam paper leak and calling out Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The Chalo Sansad march on July 20, 2026, organized by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), saw violence break out near Parliament, leaving both protesters and police injured.
Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Dia Mirza, and Riteish Deshmukh have all condemned the violence and are demanding more accountability in the education system.
Azmi falls ill, receives medical aid
Naseeruddin Shah joined protesters at Jantar Mantar alongside his son Vivaan.
Shabana Azmi was also present but had to leave after falling ill; she was seen getting medical help in a video from the scene.
Meanwhile, Dia Mirza called out the use of force against peaceful protesters on social media.
Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza voiced support for youth activism online, while Bhumi Pednekar and Anurag Kashyap urged protection of democratic rights as tensions continued.