Actor Naseeruddin Shah Backs Jamia Protests, Calls Himself Proud Dimagi Naxal

Actor Naseeruddin Shah has released a video on social media supporting protesting students at Jamia Millia Islamia and criticising the central government. Wearing a pin that read 'Dimagi Naxal', a phrase used earlier this year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for critics, the 76-year-old actor proudly claimed that label for himself. According to Indian Express - Entertainment, the demonstrations at the university reached their 17th day on Wednesday, with videos of campus violence and damage circulating online, leading Education Minister Pralhad Joshi to warn that hooliganism would not be accepted.

Student Demands

The campus protests began because students want their union restored, as elections have not taken place since 2006. While the university administration recently agreed to bring back the student union after two decades, the protest continued because authorities failed to provide a fixed date for the polls. In his video message, Shah condemned the administration and accused the ruling party of trying to break the courage of young people, ruin the education system, and endanger democracy. He also mentioned other labels used against government critics, such as anti-national and the 'tukde-tukde' gang, while targeting BJP IT cell members as illiterate and incompetent. He further stated that first Jawaharlal Nehru University, then the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, and now Jamia Millia had faced attacks.

Reactions

The actor quoted lines from poems by Aamir Aziz and Bismil Azimabadi to make his point, before ending his video with a greeting and prayers for the youth. His remarks drew quick responses from political figures and film personalities. Actor Puneet Issar told IANS that Shah's comments were a form of selective criticism, questioning why critics remain silent regarding people who allegedly want to divide the nation. Meanwhile, according to Hindustan Times, around 700 personnel from local law enforcement and paramilitary units were sent to the university area, and Education Minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the recent campus violence.

Context

Student union elections in Indian universities often serve as key battlegrounds for broader political debates between student wings and governing administrations. Jamia Millia Islamia is a central university located in New Delhi with a long history of student activism. Public figures frequently use social media to voice opinions on campus unrest, which regularly draws mixed responses from across the political spectrum.