Cinema VinesVeteran actress Shabana Azmi, 75, joined a protest march in Delhi on Monday, standing alongside the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and push for sweeping educational reforms. The 75‑year‑old star shared photographs and videos of the demonstration on her social media, showing herself traveling in a truck and crossing barricades with the crowd.
In one post, Azmi was seen beside actor Prakash Raj inside a truck, captioning the image with a message of relief that the government had agreed to hold talks with CJP leaders. She wrote, “In the truck. The govt has asked to have a dialogue finally. It is a peaceful protest Jantar Mantar for educational reforms.” A separate video shows her crossing a barricade, where she remarked, “I have reached here. Seeing the energy and so many people here gives you courage.” Her caption added, “Yahan itni taydad mein jama huye sabhi sathiyon ko naman.”
During the march, Azmi spoke to PTI, emphasizing the peaceful nature of the protest. “All of us who are here have come for a peaceful protest, to exercise the right granted to us by our country's constitution,” she said. “Mahatma Gandhi taught us how to conduct a peaceful protest, and we have come here on that very foundation. We have absolutely no intention of causing any kind of violence, and we stand here firmly in that hope.” She also dismissed questions about the absence of other Bollywood stars, urging people to focus on the cause rather than create unnecessary controversy.
Not all celebrities shared Azmi’s enthusiasm. BJP MP and veteran actor Hema Malini criticized the protest, telling ANI that it would not achieve anything if conducted in this manner. “If there is a problem, it should be discussed properly. Protesting in this manner won't achieve anything,” she said. “Our Modi government has always stood by the country's youth and the education system and has done a great deal of work. Given that, the protests you are staging now make no sense at all. All I would say is that this matter should be resolved through dialogue.”
The protest, which took place in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar area, highlighted concerns over alleged examination irregularities and a call for greater accountability in the education sector. Azmi’s participation brought significant media attention to the movement, underscoring the growing demand for reform from prominent figures in the arts community.
