'Can't Sit With It Any Longer': Kareena Kapoor Khan Shows Support To Students Amid CJP Protest

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Kareena Kapoor Khan is the latest celebrity from Bollywood to come out in support of protesting students as the actor on Thursday said children deserve a system where merit is real and effort is rewarded on an equal footing. In post on Instagram, the actor admitted that she has been sitting with her thoughts for a few days but realised that she couldn't stay quiet longer.

"The voices of so many young people asking to be heard are impossible t o ignore... and they shouldn't be. We all know what education means to a child. It gives them confidence. It gives them hope. It gives families proof that tomorrow can be better than today," she wrote on Instagram.

Kareena said education only works if children believe in it and they will stop believing in it, the moment they suspect that "honesty, hard work and merit don't actually count". "No child should have to wonder if their effort will be enough. They deserve a system they can trust, where merit is real, effort is rewarded, and every child starts on equal footing. That isn't a lot to ask. It's the bare minimum. When an entire generation speaks with one voice about its own future, listening isn't a courtesy we extend. It's an obligation we owe them," she said. "Our children are watching us as closely as we watch them. How we respond now... not eventually, now... will tell them everything about whether fairness and trust are real, or just words adults use. They aren't preparing for tomorrow, they are tomorrow," she added. Actors Ananya Panday, Sara Ali Khan and Twinkle Khanna have also supported the Jantar Mantar protests, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

The protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in the exam system, including NEET paper leaks. The protests spiralled into violence on Monday in Delhi and in other cities too with police using batons and teargas shells. In a post, Panday said Gen Z have been always been labelled unkindly, but the protests are a reminder about who this generation really is.

"A generation that's no longer willing to accept, 'this is how it's always been.' They're not asking for shortcuts. They're asking for fairness to be the bare minimum, not the exception. Questioning isn't disrespect. Speaking up isn't rebellion. It's hope. It's belief that things can be better. And that's how change begins. I love my country and its people," she said. Twinkle shared images from Delhi and Mumbai, including the one where Rhiya Ahir, a model, defiantly stood in front of a police van carrying detained protesters at Mumbai's Shivaji Park. "Proud to belong to a country where our young people still have the courage to dissent, to push back, to brave tear gas and batons. The sad part is that they have to," Khanna captioned the image. Sara said students are the future and their resolve and "unquenchable flame" brought tears to her eyes. "...reminding us that true patriotism beats in the brave hearts of those who dare to stand up for what they believe in. Their courage and determination to seek a better and safer future is both inspiring and stirring; a powerful awakening of our shared conscience. "We must listen to them with open hearts, care deeply and walk beside them. Their dreams are woven into ours. Our dreams live in theirs.As an optimistic patriot, I have immense faith that our government will deliver justice," she said.

Varun Dhawan urged the authorities to "engage" with the concerns raised by students and work towards a "fair, transparent and meaningful resolution" that ensures accountability. "Students are the future of our country. When a student's dream is crushed, it's not just one dream that's lost; it's the dream of an entire family. They have every right to ask questions when they feel the system has failed them. Their voices deserve to be heard, protected, and addressed with sincerity," he said on Instagram. "I also sincerely hope this remains a students' protest, the focus must remain on the issues affecting the students and the solutions they deserve. Peaceful protest is a democratic right, and every student should be allowed to exercise that right," her further said.