Cinema VinesActor Shalini Pandey took to the streets of Mumbai this week, joining a wave of students marching at Shivaji Park to protest alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. The demonstrations, which began in New Delhi, have spread across the country, with students demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Pandey, who has a background in journalism and a decade of experience as a field reporter, was among the many who marched in support of the students’ cause.
During the protest, Pandey shared a series of photos and videos on her Instagram account, describing the experience as “what I saw, what I felt, and what I will carry with me.” She praised the “steel in their spines” and the “resilience in their souls,” adding a Hindi salute of “A salute to these brave hearts. Jai Hind.” The actress also highlighted the courage of veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who had joined the same protest in New Delhi under the banner of the Cockroach Janata Party.
In a separate Instagram story, Pandey posted a clip of Azmi speaking about the movement, noting that Azmi and poet Javed Akhtar had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a dialogue with the education minister. Pandey described the letter as a direct appeal, saying, “We are not going to the press; we requested him directly.” She added that they had received a response from the minister’s office promising a reply in two days, but the wait extended to four days before the protest continued.
Azmi also addressed concerns about misrepresentations of the protest’s purpose, condemning the “kind of things women using the washrooms at night have to hear.” She urged that people not fear the movement. Other celebrities, including Gurfateh Pirzada, Pratibha Ranta, and Akasa Singh, also posted images and videos from the Mumbai protest, while actors Prakash Raj and rapper Hanumankind marched alongside the students during the Chalo Sansad march on Monday.
The demonstrations faced police intervention, with lathi charges and tear gas used against the protesters. Despite the crackdown, the protest continues at Jantar Mantar, with participants calling for transparency and accountability in the NEET examination process.
