Cinema VinesVeteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah released an emotional video message condemning the Delhi Police’s use of lathicharge on student demonstrators during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) Chalo Sansad march. The clip, posted late Tuesday night on the CJP’s social media, saw Shah speaking in Urdu and expressing deep anger at the police’s treatment of young protestors.
In the video, Shah compared the officers who lathi‑charged the students to American ICE agents, describing them as “wearing masks and carrying sticks.” He warned the youth that the violence they faced would eventually come back to them, urging them to remember their own children and to stand firm in their cause.
Shah urged the students not to lose hope, stating that many people sympathised with them and that the nation’s youth had always been a source of hope for the country. He promised his support, saying, “Keep fighting; we are with you.”
The incident took place on Monday when the CJP organized a march in the New Delhi area. Delhi officials reported that the protestors displayed unruly, aggressive, and violent behaviour, refusing to disperse despite repeated warnings and lawful directions from the police. The protestors allegedly violated prohibitory orders in force, while the police maintained that they had acted within their mandate to restore order.
Shah’s statement came after the police lathi‑charged the students, an event that sparked widespread criticism and calls for accountability. The actor’s impassioned appeal highlights the broader debate over police conduct during public demonstrations in India.
