Bollywood Salman Khan became one of the biggest stars of the country on Wednesday night who weighed in on the alleged NEET paper leak row and the protests across the country led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). He lent his support to students who have been protesting against the controversy. Calling paper leaks a “very serious issue”, the actor expressed sadness over the injuries sustained by students during July 20th protests demonstrations and said the focus should remain on improving the country’s education system. As his statement sparked conversation online, many were also reminded of a funny story Salim Khan once shared about Salman and leaked exam papers from his school days.
When Salim Khan joked about Salman and leaked exam papers
Salman’s remarks have also reminded many fans of a story shared by his father, Salim Khan, during an appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show with Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan back in 2020,
Recalling the incident, Salim said there was once a man named Ganesh who received special treatment whenever he visited their home. “‘Ganesh aaya hai’, ‘Ganesh ko chai pilao’, ‘Arre, Ganesh ke liye kursi le aao baithne ke liye’… Maine kaha yeh Ganesh kaun hai? Mere se zyada izzat milti hai isko iss ghar mein (I would hear ‘Ganesh has come’, ‘Get some tea for Ganesh’, ‘Get a chair for Ganesh to sit’. I would wonder who this Ganesh is, who is getting more respect than me in the house),” he recalled.
He then delivered the punchline that left everyone on the show laughing. “Pata laga jab exam ka paper leak hota tha, woh inko laake deta tha (I found out that he would give leaked exam papers to them),” Salim said.
As the audience burst into laughter, Sohail Khan joked that family secrets were now coming out. Kapil Sharma teased him, saying, “Sohail bhai, bade shararati rahe hai aap (you have been quite naughty)!” Salman then admitted with a smile, “Nahi, mera wala tha woh (This story is about me).”
Internet reacts
Soon after the video resurfaced on social media, internet was quick to point out the actor’s hypocrisy. A reddit user wrote, “Yes he is a hypocrite and cheating is probably the least bad thing he has done. But that doesn’t change the fact that Dharmendra Pradhan needs to resign.”
Another user on X said, “Internet is a bloody damn karma place.” One internet user said, “Celebs and their hypocrisy.” One pointed out, “India is a comedy country. Here you can leak paper and then make jokes about it (more importantly without consequences.) If at all, youth should be angry over this but everyone in show was laughing.”
Salman Khan shares his thoughts on X
Salman Khan on Wednesday voiced his support for students through a post on all his social media platforms, calling the alleged paper leak a serious concern and praising young people for peacefully demanding a better education system. “It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt. Paper leak is a very serious issue, and I am glad to know and see that the kids of our country have come together for a better educational system, and their parents supported them,” the actor wrote.
He also urged that the movement remain centred on students and education, without turning into a political issue. Salman applauded the protesters for their courage and said they deserved the credit for raising their voices.
“This andolan, this protest, is the right way to go about it, and the students have done this peacefully. So courageous and brave. Driven and motivated towards education, this generation will make India proud. This issue is between the students and the educational system, it should not be hijacked politically, the credit should only go to the students of our country, and I am sure the government will also give them all the support and make a stronger educational system. It’s a win-win situation. Hoping and praying for a positive decision,” he added.
The actor also shared his hope that education becomes more valued and aspirational, saying India has the potential to grow into a global destination for learning. “Education should be the next trend and fashion, and should get trendier n more fashionable yr by yr, itna k bahar se log come to India to study and India becomes an educational hub,” he concluded his post.
What other celebs have said?
Salman’s statement came just days after police clashed with protesters during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in New Delhi to demand Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the alleged exam irregularities. He joins a growing list of film personalities, including Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Rajkummar Rao, Revathy, Tovino Thomas and Anurag Kashyap, who have extended their support to the protesting students.
What is the controversy about?
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s movement gathered steam after the alleged NEET paper leak, a controversy that is believed to have affected over two million medical aspirants across the country. Public anger only intensified following reports of students dying by suicide, with many linking the tragedies to the exam crisis. Among the key demands of the protesters are Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, ₹1 crore in compensation for the families of students who died by suicide, and the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was taken to a hospital while on an indefinite hunger strike.
On July 20, thousands of students and supporters took to the streets in Delhi for the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march. What began as a large protest later turned chaotic after clashes erupted with police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. Even after the crackdown, the movement has shown no signs of slowing down, with demonstrations continuing in the national capital as well as several other parts of the country.