Abhishek Banerjee joins Goa student protest as Dharmendra Pradhan resigns: ‘Not all actors are silent’

Speaking to the media at the protest site, Abhishek Banerjee said he was moved by the growing anger among young people across the country.

Actor Abhishek Banerjee joined the protesting crowds in Goa on Friday to support the students' movement for justice against the NEET paper leak scandal. He was part of the crowd, which had assembled at Lohia Maidan in Mapusa, showing solidarity with the ongoing protests at Jantar Mantar, Delhi under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Speaking to the media at the protest site, Banerjee said he was moved by the growing anger among young people across the country and wanted to stand beside them.

Abhishek Banerjee joins Goa student protests amid the NEET paper leak and CJP movement. (Sunil Khandare)

What the actor said

The actor was holding a banner which read, "Modi ji, change your DP (Dharmendra Pradhan).

Speaking to several reporters at the protest side on Friday night, the actor said, “Yesterday when I told people that I am going to Goa to protest, they were quite surprised that how come Goans are protesting. Goa is such a … how do you put it … a laidback place. But that’s the kind of angst and anger I think the youth has. And it is not limited to Jantar Mantar [in] Delhi, it has spread across the country and rightly so. What kind of arrogant government will not listen to their kids? These are the future of our country."

Calls on people to support the movement

Abhishek urged people not to stay silent and encouraged them to step out in support of the students' demands. "I think every one of us needs to come out of our homes. And start supporting. Leave your jobs, leave your work…I think this is not the time to think about your career, because if we don’t stand up right now, our future is going to be destroyed. I feel very good, satisfied that I am here [to protest in Goa]. I would have been really disappointed, if I would not have been able to come for the protest here. Thanks to my wife, she made a house in Goa, so that’s also one of the reasons…I thought it’s important to tell the youth that not all actors are silent. We know how to voice our opinion when it really matters,” the actor added.

He then reacted after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.

Hundreds gather in Goa as protests spread

The protest at Lohia Maidan started at 7 pm and went on for almost two hours. The protestors raised slogans such as “Inquilab Zindabad”, “Vande Mataram” and “Dharmendra Pradhan Isteefa do” before leaving peacefully at 9 pm. The protest took place only a few days after another at Azad Maidan in Panaji.

Why students are protesting

Students have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) for almost a month now. They have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan due to allegations of NEET paper leak and other examination malpractices, along with other reforms in India’s education sector.

This protest garnered more prominence when educator and activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest and went on a hunger strike along with many other students. On July 20th, they marched from Jantar Mantar to Parliament, where they were stopped by security agencies through a lathi charge and tear gas. He called off his hunger strike on Thursday after fasting for 26 days.

Just a few days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed the public that all those accused in the NEET paper leak case had been arrested and fast-track courts would be set up to expedite the trial. On July 25, Dharmendra Pradhan posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) stating that he had sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He wrote on X, “The youth power of India is the real strength of this country. We will not let the youth power of the country get trapped in a vicious cycle of illusion; this is my resolve Anti-national forces should not take advantage of the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and in the country, the unity of the country should be maintained, the future of not even a single student of India should get entangled in legal complexities, and our children should spend their time studying and focusing on building their careers. Considering all these things, I have sent my resignation letter to the Honorable Prime Minister.”