ISLAMABAD: A wave of prominent Indian celebrities has voiced strong support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in New Delhi, urging authorities to heed the demands of protesting students while criticising the government’s crackdown on demonstrators.
Singers, actors, and filmmakers including Diljit Dosanjh, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Shabana Azmi, and Pooja Bhatt have used their platforms to condemn police brutality and call for accountability, as the movement intensifies amid growing public outrage.
🚨Indian police violently repressed protesters as thousands gathered for a “Cockroach” movement march on parliament demanding the resignation of education minister #Dharmendra_Pradhan in New Delhi pic.twitter.com/Ip0rtDlAgZ#NewDelhi #India #Protest
📌The movement, seen as a…— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) July 20, 2026
The protests, which began last month with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over examination paper leaks, escalated when activist Sonam Wangchuk joined with an indefinite hunger strike.
Nearly 180 people were injured in clashes with security personnel, with police resorting to baton charges and tear gas, drawing sharp reactions from India’s entertainment industry.
Diljit Dosanjh: “Students shouldn’t have been treated this way”
Singer Diljit Dosanjh shared an emotional Instagram story in both Punjabi and English, expressing his anguish over the police action. “What happened today was really sad,” he said. “Students shouldn’t have been treated this way. I request the authorities to listen to the demands of the students.”
Diljit Dosanjh supports CJP protest: ‘Students shouldn’t have been treated this way’ Diljit Dosanjh has extended his support to the students and youth protesting in Delhi against alleged education corruption, exam paper leaks , and police force used https://t.co/1wfaQgie9f
— Gurvinder Singh🇮🇳 (@gurvind45909601) July 22, 2026
Dosanjh, who has faced backlash for his past activism, revealed that he has been “tagged as an anti-nationalist on many occasions.” He added, “Even now, I will be called an anti-nationalist.”
The singer also referenced his participation in the farmers’ protests at Delhi’s Singhu Border in December 2022, saying, “After the farmers’ protest, I faced a lot of backlash and legal problems which I can’t even discuss.”
Read Also: Cockroach Janta Party to Call for Modi’s Resignation: Abhijeet Dipke
Sonakshi Sinha: “You are dead… just like this democracy”
Actor Sonakshi Sinha took to Instagram to reshare videos highlighting students’ concerns and alleged incidents of police brutality. In a powerful post, she wrote, “If this doesn’t wake you up and make you want to do SOMETHING… tweet, post, protest, anything… you are DEAD. Just like this ‘Democracy’.”
Sinha also stressed the importance of mainstream media coverage, encouraging her followers to stay informed by following journalists and news outlets reporting from the ground.
Actors Ranjini Haridas and Sija Rose joined the Cockroach Janata Party protest in Delhi, saying peaceful protests should be respected and democratic rights protected. #RanjiniHaridas #SijaRose #DelhiProtest #KeralaNews Onmanorama pic.twitter.com/uuDiGjDcHh
— வெறுப்பை வேரறு (@VVeraru) July 21, 2026
Aditi Rao Hydari calls for respect and dignity
Actor Aditi Rao Hydari, in an Instagram story, appealed for a safe environment for students. “We must ensure a safe environment built on respect, dignity, and empathy for all our brave students, and for all the determined voices seeking to be heard, with a genuine commitment to constructive dialogue,” she said. “Listening to one another is the foundation of meaningful progress.”
Read Also: India’s Cockroach Janta Party’s Anti-Government Protest Draws Thousands
Pooja Bhatt: “Power is not permanent”
Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt emphasised the right to peaceful protest as “a sacred and fundamental right.” She also issued a stern warning to law enforcement, saying, “Every police officer and government official blindly following orders to attack India’s innocent students should keep in mind: The Constitution is your master. Power is not permanent. Accountability will follow.”
Shabana Azmi attends protest in person
Veteran actor Shabana Azmi chose to attend the protest in person, demonstrating her unwavering support for the movement. She shared a video from the site with a powerful couplet, captioned, “Declaring the truth invites the threat of the scaffold and the rope. Yet the real question is: what lies beyond the scaffold and the rope?”
Completely non violent protest according to Shabana Azmi. 🤡 pic.twitter.com/opVZYe1v2O
— Political Kida (@PoliticalKida) July 21, 2026
Azmi explained the meaning behind the quote, writing, “The couplet reflects on the cost of speaking the truth. It acknowledges that standing for truth may lead to persecution or even death, but then asks a deeper question: What happens after that? It can suggest that truth outlives oppression, that martyrdom is not the end, or that those who wield punishment cannot ultimately silence the truth.”
Protests intensify amid government crackdown
The CJP movement has gained momentum since last month when founder Abhijeet Dipke began a sit-in demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over examination paper leaks. The protest expanded when activist Sonam Wangchuk joined, launching an indefinite hunger strike.
Delhi: On the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, actress Poonam Pandey says, “…I am here only and only to support the students. I have come here to fight for their cause. As for the rest, I don’t know anything about politics. I am just here for the students. I am just here for those… pic.twitter.com/orxYDt8LVS
— IANS (@ians_india) July 19, 2026
On Monday, nearly 180 people were injured and taken to nearby state-run hospitals, with a majority discharged after first-aid, following clashes between protesters and security personnel. Police used baton charges and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
CJP condemns tear gas shelling on protesters near Parliament. In a post on X, the party questioned the use of tear gas against what it described as peaceful protesters, alleging that the government first ignored the month-long protest and is now attacking those participating in… pic.twitter.com/f3tkoX4nCm
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) July 20, 2026
Industry solidarity highlights growing movement
The support of prominent Indian celebrities demonstrates how the CJP movement has resonated beyond politics, with members of India’s entertainment industry using their platforms to amplify students’ voices and call for accountability, peaceful dialogue, and meaningful action.
The criticisms from such high-profile figures have intensified pressure on the Modi government, raising questions about the handling of the protests and the future of the movement.
