Ajay Devgn, Ayushmann Khurrana react to Jamia protests amid growing calls for Bollywood to break its silence
Actors Ajay Devgn, Ayushmann Khurrana and Riteish Deshmukh have made statements on Sunday’s protests in New Delhi.
Bollywood celebrities on Monday took to social media to express solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia Islamia and slammed the way police handled the protests which were organised against the amended citizenship act.
Actor Ajay Devgn said that ‘violence is never the answer’. Devgn took to the stage at an event on Monday and said, “This is a democracy. The establishment has an opinion, and there are those who do not agree with that opinion. Everyone should have the right to express their opinion. Violence is not the answer. Instead of fighting, things should be settled amicably, so that the aam janta doesn’t suffer.”
Actor Tapsee Pannu shared a video from Sunday's protest in Delhi and wrote," the video breaks heart n hopes altogether'. Actor Riteish Deshmukh also expressed solidarity with the student protest and said that every voice must be heard in a vibrant democracy.
"I Stand in solidarity with the students protesting peacefully. What makes our country great is that every voice is heard, be it of one person or thousands. I do not support any kind of violence. We are and have always been proud of our Police Force but this time they should have been more compassionate while assessing and tackling the situation. Our Students didn't deserve this," read Deskmukh's post.
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Actor Dia Mirza also took to Twitter and called on citizens to unite for the cause. The actor wrote, "What is happening in our country should make us all hang our heads in shame. Shame. Now is the time to come together and act as one nation, one people, one country. NOW."
Actor Manoj Bajpayee, and film directors Anurag Kashyap and Anubhav Sinha also spoke in favour of protesting students and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution of the concerns being raised by the student community.
Meanwhile, actor Ayushmann Khurrana in a statement wrote, “Deeply disturbed about what the students went through and I strongly condemn this. All of us have the right to protest and exercise our fundamental freedom of expression. However, protests also cannot turn violent and lead to destruction of public property. That simply is counterproductive. Dear countrymen, this is the land of Gandhi. Ahimsa is and should be the tool to express. Have faith in democracy.”
The Delhi Police on Monday said that it used minimum force and showed maximum restraint despite provocation by protesters during violence at Jamia Nagar area on Sunday. "The police showed maximum restraint despite provocation by the protesters. being a professional force, the Delhi police used minimum force," said Delhi Police PRO, MS Randhawa
He also informed that around 30 police personnel received injuries, two SHO suffered fractures and one of Delhi police personnel is in ICU. "Two FIRs have been registered for rioting and arsoning. Crime Branch will investigate the matter from all angles", he added.
Several students and cops sustained injuries in a protest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 in Jamia Nagar area on Sunday.
