‘Students don’t deserve lathi’: Sonu Sood, Diljit Dosanjh, Elvish Yadav, Celebs slam Delhi Police action against students at CJP protest In Delhi

The ongoing protests over irregularities in the education sector and NEET paper leaks, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and activist Sonam Wangchuk, have intensified. The political atmosphere in Delhi and in certain parts of Mumbai has turned tense, with protesters raising slogans against the government and police resorting to lathi-charge in an attempt to control the demonstrations.

Apart from the protesters, hundreds of students, many of them just 16 and 17 years old, have also joined the movement. However, as clashes erupted between sections of the CJP protesters and the Delhi police, the young and genuine students were caught in the middle. While some protesters were seen pelting stones at the police, several innocent students were allegedly lathi-charged. Shocking visuals of students crying, pleading and questioning the government have since gone viral on social media.

On the second day of the protests, the students received enormous support from celebrities and influencers, many of whom had remained silent until now. The movement also received backing from the Students’ Association of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the country’s premier film and television institute.

On Monday, the FTII Students’ Association (FSA) held a protest on campus in solidarity with the CJP’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.

“In light of the ongoing nationwide protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the students of FTII stand with the cause,” the FSA said in a statement.

“The Film and Television Institute of India Students’ Association strongly stands against the atrocities carried out by the Delhi Police on peaceful protesters. We condemn the lack of spine the Central government has shown by not even engaging with the students who demand a fair examination process,” the statement added.

The association also pointed out that the FTII entrance examination paper had been leaked in the last two months, but no accountability had been fixed. An FSA representative said paper leaks had become a nationwide issue.

“The Students’ Association of FTII stands in complete solidarity with their struggle. The issue of paper leaks has spread across the country. Even the FTII entrance examination paper was leaked a few days ago, following which the examination had to be conducted again,” the student told PTI.

“If educational institutions are not doing their job, then nothing can happen for the country. Students from across the nation are coming together, and the Students’ Association stands in solidarity. We are continuing our fight,” the student added.

Another FSA member urged the Centre to engage in dialogue with students instead of using force to suppress the protests.

YouTuber and reality show winner Elvish Yadav criticised the police action during the CJP protest, saying students who raised genuine concerns should not have faced violence. Clarifying that his views were not politically motivated, he wrote on X: “I’m neither a BJP supporter nor a Congress supporter. But what is happening to the students is completely wrong. The students who came forward with genuine issues should not have been subjected to violence. Their concerns deserve to be heard, and appropriate action should be taken.”

Actor Sonu Sood also expressed support for the protesters, writing in Hindi, “Our students do not need batons, they need hands that embrace them.” He added in English: “The future of our country deserves a hug, not a lathi.”

Actor-comedian Vir Das also reacted to the crackdown. In a post on X, which was later deleted, he urged fellow artists to speak up for young people.

“If you’re an Indian live artist, I hope you understand the sheer hypocrisy of not speaking up for young people, and then trying to sell them tickets later… This issue isn’t political or partisan anymore. It’s about the youth now. You can support them by platforming what they care about,” he wrote.

In another post, Vir took a swipe at the situation, sarcastically commenting: “Can’t wait for the movie about this week in ten years… Infact the only reason the paper was leaked was to throw them off. It wasn’t incompetence or corruption, it was counter intelligence.”

Actor couple Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza also expressed solidarity with the protesters and urged that their voices be heard.

“We stand in solidarity with the youth of our country. Their voices deserve to be heard – loud, clear, and without fear. They are the heartbeat of our democracy and the true architects of our nation’s future. Let us listen, support, and empower them. The energy, courage, and dreams of our young people will shape the India we aspire to build,” the couple posted on X.

Punjabi actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh, who had earlier distanced himself from the protest, on Tuesday criticised the police action against students.

“Whatever happened is sad. Students should not be treated like this,” the singer posted on Instagram on Tuesday morning.

Calling the “voice of the people” the “voice of God”, Dosanjh urged authorities to “listen to the students’ grievances”. Pointing out that he was called “anti-national” for speaking out during the farmers’ protest, the singer said he had to suffer a lot and “will again be called anti-national”.

What happened on Monday, July 20, 2026?

The reactions came after clashes broke out during the CJP’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on Monday, organised over alleged examination irregularities and the demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Thousands of protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session before attempting to march towards Parliament. However, the procession was stopped by heavy security deployment.

Following the violence, the Delhi Police described the protesters as “unruly, aggressive and violent.”

In an official statement, the police said that despite repeated warnings and lawful directions, protesters refused to disperse and violated prohibitory orders. The force alleged that demonstrators attacked personnel with stones and other objects, attempted to break barricades, vandalised police and government vehicles, damaged public property, and “resorted to large-scale violence, posing a serious threat to public order, security arrangements and the safety of police personnel.”

According to Delhi Police, more than 118 police personnel, including senior officers and women personnel, were injured during the clashes. Around 60 protesters also sustained injuries, while the medico-legal examination (MLC) of the remaining injured police personnel was still underway.

As the situation escalated, police detained protesters from Mandi House, Patel Chowk, Janpath, Jantar Mantar and Parliament Street. Security personnel also used tear gas near Shastri Bhawan after demonstrators allegedly attempted to push through barricades.

Later in the evening, police dismantled the stage and cleared the protest site. Despite the action, the CJP maintained that its agitation would continue and said protesters would remain at the site.