Shekhar Suman condemns police action on student protesters: I've only cried

Actor-host Shekhar Suman turned emotional on the latest episode of Shekhar Tonite as he condemned the police action on student protesters at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar. He said the visuals of the students being beaten up for protesting against exam irregularities had left him deeply shaken. The 63-year-old confessed that he had not slept for three days and had only cried.Speaking about the ongoing protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and demands for education reforms, Suman said he stood with the students and questioned the action against them. He also said he had initially wondered whether the episode should air at a time when the country was in turmoil over the protests, but later decided that the show had a responsibility to continue.Opening the episode on an emotional note, Suman said, “Before beginning the show, I want to share something with all of you. What happened on July 20 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to those innocent, unarmed, helpless children was heartbreaking. The way they were beaten with batons, with such cruelty, brutality, and mercilessness, leaving them bloodied, has shaken me to my core. I haven’t slept for three days; I’ve only cried.”BREAKING : Shekhar Suman comes in support of Protesting students and slams the Govt for brutally assaulting them without mincing any words.No toolkit, No Conditions just pure solidarity.This is absolute Courage, Even ED raids couldn’t snatch it from him, in-fact they made him pic.twitter.com/jTHKpiVBmK— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) July 24, 2026He went on to question the action against the protesters and said, “What was the fault of those young, innocent children? That they raised their voices against injustice and oppression. That they stood up for their rights, for their future, and beyond that, for the future of this country. They demanded a healthy education system. And instead of listening to them, they were lathi-charged and assaulted." "In this difficult moment, I stand with every fearless youth, every coordinator, every young person, and every Indian whose heart beats for the dignity of this nation and who has the courage to speak out against injustice,” he continued.Suman also spoke about what he called young voices being labelled unruly, anti-national and incompetent. He said, “The more you try to crush them, the stronger they return. The more you reject them, the farther they spread. They survive not through power, but through determination.” Towards the end of his opening monologue, Suman said he had been unsure if the episode should be aired because of the mood in the country around the student protests. He said he ultimately felt the show had to go on.What happened at Jantar MantarSuman’s remarks came after tens of thousands of young protesters, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, gathered at Jantar Mantar for the Chalo Sansad march. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the education system, including the NEET paper leak.As demonstrators tried to breach multiple layers of barricades in central Delhi, police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show several protesters being beaten. Delhi Police, however, said force became necessary after demonstrators turned violent and resorted to stone-pelting.Meanwhile, educator and activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike in solidarity with students for more than 20 days, ended his fast early on Friday morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said those accused in the NEET leak had been arrested and that the government was setting up fast-track courts to speed up the case. The Congress is set to hold another protest in central Delhi on Saturday over the NEET paper leak and the police action on student protesters.Support from the film industryThe ongoing students’ protest over the NEET-UG paper leak and demands for education reforms has also drawn support from the film industry. Salman Khan shared a post on Thursday urging students to return home and asking Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike.Alia Bhatt shared an emotional note, saying the past few days had broken her heart and then mended it with hope. She described every student standing their ground as a dream, a family’s hope and a journey of countless sacrifices, and said they were creating a better path for those who would come after them.Varun Dhawan also backed the students, saying they had every right to question a system they believed had failed them.Among the strongest voices supporting the protesters has been veteran actor Shabana Azmi, who not only criticised the police action but also joined protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party’s Chalo Sansad march in Delhi. Naseeruddin Shah also condemned the use of force, compared the Delhi Police personnel involved in the crackdown to American ICE agents and said the visuals were deeply disturbing.R Madhavan said the leak had shattered the dreams of countless students and families, while also cautioning against vested interests trying to hijack the movement. Kamal Haasan said students demanding transparency should not be treated as adversaries and stressed that peaceful protest was a democratic right. Several other film personalities, including Anupam Kher, Sonakshi Sinha, Prakash Raj, Dulquer Salmaan, Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Swara Bhasker, Huma Qureshi, Revathy, Tovino Thomas, Abhay Deol, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and Hollywood actor John Cusack, have also expressed support.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka SharmaPublished On: Jul 25, 2026 10:51 IST