Author and former actor Twinkle Khanna has joined the growing list of public figures speaking out on the nationwide protests over the NEET controversy. Two days after Delhi Police used lathi-charge during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, Twinkle shared a note on Instagram expressing solidarity with the students.Her post featured a series of photographs from the demonstrations in Delhi and Mumbai. The opening image showed 27-year-old model Rhiya Ahir, who emerged as one of the most recognisable faces of the protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park after standing in front of a police van carrying detained demonstrators demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities. Another image captured a woman attempting to shield fellow protesters during the Delhi Police’s lathi-charge.Twinkle wrote, “Proud to belong to a country where our young people still have the courage to dissent, to push back, to brave tear gas and batons. The sad part is that they have to.”Meanwhile, Kareena Kapoor Khan also shared a detailed statement, saying she could no longer remain silent after reflecting on the issue.“I’ve sat with this for a few days, but I can’t sit with it any longer. The voices of so many young people asking to be heard are impossible to ignore… and they shouldn’t be. We all know what education means to a child. It gives them confidence. It gives them hope. It gives families proof that tomorrow can be better than today. But education only works if children believe in it. And they stop believing the moment they suspect that honesty, hard work and merit don’t actually count,” she wrote.She further added, “No child should have to wonder if their effort will be enough. They deserve a system they can trust, where merit is real, effort is rewarded, and every child starts on equal footing. That isn’t a lot to ask. It’s the bare minimum. When an entire generation speaks with one voice about its own future, listening isn’t a courtesy we extend. It’s an obligation we owe them. Our children are watching us as closely as we watch them. How we respond now… not eventually, now… will tell them everything about whether fairness and trust are real, or just words adults use.”Actor Varun Dhawan also extended his support to the students through an Instagram post.“Students are the future of our country. When a student’s dream is crushed, it’s not just one dream that’s lost; it’s the dream of an entire family. They have every right to ask questions when they feel the system has failed them. Their voices deserve to be heard, protected, and addressed with sincerity,” he wrote.He continued, “I appeal to the authorities to engage with these concerns and work towards a fair, transparent, and meaningful resolution that ensures accountability. I also sincerely hope this remains a students’ protest, the focus must remain on the issues affecting the students and the solutions they deserve. Peaceful protest is a democratic right, and every student should be allowed to exercise that right. Jai Hind.“Sara Ali Khan also shared a message backing the students, describing their determination as a source of inspiration and expressing confidence that justice would prevail.“Our students are our future and their future tugs at the very heart of our nation. Their resolve burns like a quiet, unquenchable flame that brings tears to my eyes, reminding us that true patriotism beats in the brave hearts of those who dare to stand up for what they believe in. Their courage and determination to seek a better and safer future is both inspiring and stirring; a powerful awakening of our shared conscience. We must listen to them with open hearts, care deeply and walk beside them. Their dreams are woven into ours. Our dreams live in theirs. As an optimistic patriot, I have immense faith that our government will deliver justice. Jai Hind.”Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt also have recently expressed support towards the students, earlier, Prakash Raj, Shabana Azmi among others had joined the protest.
