Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh on Tuesday backed students taking part in the ongoing CJP protests over alleged NEET irregularities and demands for education reforms. In an Instagram story, he wrote the way students were treated was "very wrong" and urged the authorities to listen to their demands. Dosanjh also said he expected to be labelled "anti-national" again for speaking out.

Referring to the farmers' protest, he mentioned that he had earlier faced "a lot of backlash and legal problems" that he still could not discuss.

In an Instagram story, Dosanjh wrote, "What happened today was very wrong. Students should not have been treated like this. I request the authorities to listen to the students' demands. The voice of the people is the voice of God."

He added, "I have already been labelled an 'anti-national' many times. Even now, I know I will be called anti-national again. After the farmers' protest, I faced a lot of backlash and legal problems that I still cannot even discuss. The rest, God is watching everything. May Baba bless everyone."

Protest and support

The protest was staged to mark the start of the Monsoon Session and sought nationwide education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged NEET irregularities. Security forces and protesters clashed as the march moved towards the Parliament building.

A CJP delegation also met Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday and handed over a memorandum with three demands: the immediate release of activist Sonam Wangchuk from the hospital, the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, and Rs 1 crore compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide following the exam paper leak.

Dosanjh's statement came after several film personalities voiced support for the youth-led protest. Actor-couple Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh expressed solidarity with the young protesters, with Riteish saying their voices deserved to be heard "loud, clear, and without fear". Actors Bhumi Pednekar, Huma Qureshi, Nandita Das and veteran actor Shabana Azmi, along with screenwriter Sutapa Sikdar, also backed the protesters.

Sutapa wrote that many of the students had arrived "with 20 rupees in their pocket" and were "full of hope" while seeking accountability. She said many of them were not "rich influential papas' babies and babas" and that "no one came to save them". A video from the protest site also showed Shabana Azmi being assisted by volunteers and security personnel after she appeared to feel dizzy amid the gathering.

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Published By:

Priyanka Sharma

Published On:

Jul 21, 2026 09:04 IST