MUMBAI: Bollywood celebrities continued to extend support to students of Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University all through Tuesday even as many of them lashed out at the government over rising anti-CAA tension all over the country.
On Day 2 at Agenda Aajtak 2019, Ayushmann Khurana, who won first Best Actor National Award for Andhadhun also too voiced his opinion on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), protests and violence.
Speaking on the Citizenship Amendment Act, Ayushman said:
“During this situation, What I tweeted last evening, I stand by it. But I have been trolled for from both sides. I think students are not just the country’s future but the country’s present is also dependent on students.They are students and after a lot of thought they want to say something. And this is the land of Gandhi and we should respect that. We have got a freedom of expression. We should put forward our thought in a non-violent way. It is the responsibility of the government to make sure that whatever changes they want to implement is communicated well. There should not be communication gaps between them and student. If they think that minority is feeling insecure in our country then the government should address that. We always feel that government either appeases Muslims or makes them insecure. Why can’t we come up with a middle ground?,” he said.
“India is a young country and the future of the country is in students’ hands. We should empower them more. It is not just about minority universities. A student doesn’t have a religion. He is not a Hindu or a Muslim, he is just a student,” he added.
Khurrana posted a message on Twitter, preaching non-violence. His message reads: “Deeply disturbed about what the students went through and I strongly condemn this. All of us have the right to protest and excercise our fundamental freedom of expression. However, protests also cannot turn violent and lead to destruction of public property. That simply is counterproductive. Dear countrymen, this is the land of Gandhi. Ahimsa is and should be the tool to express. Have faith in democracy.”
The protests, which raged for another day on Tuesday, follow the passing by parliament last week of legislation making it easier for people from three neighbouring countries to get Indian citizenship.
Excluded though are Muslims, in what Islamic groups, the opposition and rights groups say is part of PM Modi’s agenda to remould India as a Hindu nation.