Amol Palekar offers legal and financial support to students protesting over NEET paper leak: “Do not allow anger to harden into hatred”
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
Addressing the protesters as "Dear brave students," Palekar wrote that he was writing not only in solidarity but also with gratitude. "Every generation inherits the unfinished work of democracy. Yours has accepted both the burden and the privilege of carrying it forward," he wrote.
Adding to this, In his letter, Palekar referred to Albert Camus' Caligula , saying the play reflects how unchecked power can become detached from moral responsibility. He added that the recent developments in Delhi reminded him of those themes.
Meanwhile, The veteran star also cited historical student movements and struggles across the world, including the Paris student protests of 1968, the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, Tiananmen Square and the Navnirman Andolan in Gujarat, arguing that attempts to silence young voices have never succeeded in suppressing the desire for freedom.
Notably, Reacting to the reported police action against protesters, Palekar shared the visuals left him deeply disturbed. "The images of the brutality inflicted upon you have filled us with anguish and anger," he wrote.
As per the latest buzz, He added that universities are places where society learns to question itself and shared asking those in power difficult questions is a democratic responsibility rather than a privilege. "When questions are answered with batons instead of reason, it is not the students who stand diminished. It is the State," the star wrote.
In further updates, Palekar also explained why he did not attend the demonstrations in person. He shared advancing age has imposed physical limitations, even though his convictions remain unchanged. He also noted that he deliberately chose not to participate physically because he did not want public attention to shift away from the students.
On top of that, "This is your movement, your voice, your moment of moral courage. You do not need star validation. Democratic movements derive their legitimacy from the courage of those at their centre, not from the visibility of those who stand beside them," he wrote.
The star concluded his letter by assuring students that he and his wife, Sandhya, would continue supporting them in every way possible. He even offered legal, medical and financial assistance within their means if required. Encouraging students to remain hopeful, he wrote, "Today you may be called students. Tomorrow you will be known as the generation that chose courage over silence. The future belongs to those who refuse to surrender their humanity."
Source: Bollywood Hungama