‘Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega’: Naseeruddin Shah slams police action, backs NEET protest students
Actor Naseeruddin Shah on Wednesday strongly criticised the police crackdown on protesting students, saying his "heart is aching" and he is furious over the alleged injustice meted out to young people by masked "goons" who reminded him of American ICE agents.
"Sab yaad rakha jayega (Everything will be remembered)," he said in an emotional video posted on Instagram, urging students to continue their fight.
The video came two days after police in Delhi cracked down on thousands of people, mostly students, who took to the streets following the 'Chalo Sansad' call to demand Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak.
His wife, actor Ratna Rathak Shah, also expressed support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest, saying she and others would stand with the students whenever they called.
Addressing the students, Shah said: "I am boiling with anger to see how our kids are being meted out injustice by these goons who remind me of American ICE agents, wearing masks and carrying sticks."
He also said "To the children, I want to say, don't lose courage. Many people are with you. Keep fighting. I have always had hope in the youth of my country, and it has only grown stronger now. You keep fighting your battle; we all are with you," adding a message to those in power: "Sab yaad rakha jayega."
While actress Ratna Pathak Shah referred to the story of Eklavya, saying she had long questioned the idea of a teacher demanding a student's future as a sacrifice.
"We are talking about becoming 'Vishwaguru' but we cannot even connect with our students. We want children to sacrifice their future so that some people in power are saved," she said.
Apologising to the students, she said her generation had failed to stop the situation from reaching this point.
"We do stand with you, wholeheartedly and sincerely. Whenever you call, we'll be there by your side," she said.
