After lending support to the students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), actor Naseeruddin Shah has now come out in support of Jamia Millia Islamia students, who have been protesting for the restoration of their union.
Naseeruddin Shah backs Jamia students
The multiple National Award winner shared a video on social media on Wednesday, slamming the central government for their reaction to the Jamia students’ protests, and accused the BJP-led administration of trying to destroy the education system and break the “courage of the country’s youth”.
In the video, the actor appeared wearing a ‘Dimagi Naxal’ pin, showing it to the camera. The term was used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech earlier this year for critics of the administration.
“I proudly declare that I am Dimagi Naxal. I don’t know what other nicknames the watchmen have given to people like me, anti-national, ‘tukde tukde’ gang, and I don’t know what else,” Naseeruddin Shah said in Hindi.
In the video, posted on Facebook, Naseer added, “I want to ask this government a question. What else will you do to break the courage of our country’s youth, to destroy the education system, and to put our democracy at risk? How much will you do? How far will you go?”
The 76-year-old actor has been posting frequent videos and has been vocal in his support for student-related issues. He earlier criticised the government for its handling of the Cockroach Janata Party-led protest over NEET exam irregularities in July.
“First Jawaharlal Nehru University, then Satyajit Ray Film Institute, and now Jamia Millia. The atrocities that are being done on students will be remembered. Sab yaad rakha jaayega (Everything will be remembered),” he said, quoting Aamir Aziz’s popular poem.
He also recited the line “Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mein hai” from Bismil Azimabadi’s famous poem Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna.
The Jamia row
The protesting students have demanded a definite date for the polls, which have not been held since 2006, and a clear timeline for the approval of the student union’s constitution.
As protests at the Jamia Millia Islamia entered their 15th day on Monday, the administration agreed to one of the students’ key demands, announcing it would resume student union elections after two decades. However, this failed to resolve the stand-off with students saying the administration had not issued a definite timeline for the polls.
Police said around 700 personnel from the local police and paramilitary forces were deployed to the area.