New Delhi: ‘Horrifying’, ‘heart-breaking’ and ‘barbaric’ is how many in the film industry, including actors-filmmakers Anil Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Rajkummar Rao, Twinkle Khanna, Anurag Kashyap and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, described the Sunday night violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University while demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice.
Violence broke out at the JNU on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march.
At least 28 people, including JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.
This is what the actors had to say:
Anil Kapoor: It (attack) has to be condemned. It was quite sad, shocking, what I saw. It was very disturbing. I couldn’t sleep the entire night, thinking what has happened. It has to be condemned. Nothing will come out of violence. Whoever did this, they should be punished absolutely.
Aditya Roy Kapur: There’s no place for this kind of violence in our country, the perpetrators have to be brought to task, definitely.
Alia Bhatt: When students, teachers and peaceful civilians become victims of physical assault on an ongoing basis, it’s time to stop pretending that all is fine. We must look truth in the eye and acknowledge that we are a house at war with itself. We, the people, of this country no matter how diff our ideologies, must find a human olution to all of our complex problems, and reinforce the peaceful and inclusive ideals upon which this country was built.
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja: Shocking disgusting and cowardly. Have the b**** to at least show your face when you want to attack innocents.
See link: https://twitter.com/sonamakapoor/status/1213839269565009920
Anurag Kashyap: Hindutva terrorism is now totally out there. #JNUSU.
Rajkummar Rao: What happened in #JNU is shameful, horrific and heartbreaking. Those who are responsible behind these attacks should be punished. #JNUViolence, heartbreaking.
See link: https://twitter.com/RajkummarRao/status/1213926827158384641
Twinkle Khanna: India, where cows seem to receive more protection than students, is also a country that now refuses to be cowed down. You can’t oppress people with violence-there will be more protests, more strikes, more people on the street.
Adil Hussain: If brutality is the solution to any problem then world would have been at peace already! Brutally, even delivered, in the name of official justice system is a quick-fix, not a solution. Heartbreaking to see students are being brutalised in Delhi. Must find another way with love.
Kriti Sanon: It breaks my heart to see what happened at JNU! What’s going on in India is horrifying!! Students & teachers being beaten up & terrorized by masked cowards!! The constant blame game! Stooping so low for political agendas! Violence is NEVER a solution! How have we become so inhuman?
Hansal Mehta: Dear celebrities, it is understandable that opening your heart out and being vocal on a public platform entails a great risk for you and your career. But remember the millennials who form your major audience are speaking up vociferously. Your voice matters to them.
Swara Bhasker (mother professor at JNU): My mom is safe. JNU is peaceful for now & the gates are open! Eternal gratitude to the citizen protestors of Delhi who showed up at JNU main gate earlier tonight- you saved JNU! Thanks to the media and reporters who risked their own safety & showed us what terror was unleashed today.
Shabana Azmi: Is this really happening? I’m not in India and it all seems like a nightmare… Reprehensible, appalling condemnable. Immediate action must be taken against the perpetrators
Richa Chadha: Name and shame them. If the cops don’t act, if the authorities vie to make them ministers, it is we must act. Name and shame these aggressors and goons. They shouldn’t be getting jobs or degrees.
Agencies
Anil Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Swara Bhasker, Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon, JNU, Violence
