Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
As the Jawaharlal Nehru University came under siege by an unidentified mob on Sunday, 5 January, several Bollywood celebrities including Swara Bhasker, Shabana Azmi, Sonam Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Taapsee Pannu, along with filmmakers Aparna Sen and Hansal Mehta condemned the violence and urged Delhi Police to intervene.
Swara, whose mother Ira Bhaskar is a professor at the JNU, took to Twitter to appeal to the people on social media to reach the campus “to pressure the government and Delhi Police” to control the violence.
"Urgent appeal!!!! To all Delhiites PLS gather in large numbers outside the Main Gate of JNU campus on Baba Gangnath Marg.. to pressure the govt. & #DelhiPolice to stop the rampage by alleged ABVP masked goons on JNU campus," the actor captioned the video, adding that she was concerned about her parents' safety who live at the campus.
Commenting on Swara's video, veteran actor Shabana Azmi said she was shocked by the violence and called for immediate action against the perpetrators.
“Is this really happening ? Im not in India and it all seems like a nightmare. 20 Students Admitted To AIIMS As Violence Breaks Out In JNU. Students and Teachers beaten. Reprehensible, Appalling Condemnable. Immediate action must be taken against the perpetrators,” Azmi said in another tweet.
Violence broke out at JNU on Sunday night after masked men armed with sticks attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police.
At least 18 people were injured and admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). JNU students' union president Aishe Ghosh suffered a head injury.
Sonam Kapoor took to Twitter to call the attack disgusting and cowardly.
Taapsee said it was saddening to see an educational institution "getting scarred forever".
Taapsee also shared a news report and said, “Sums it all For everyone who refuses to look at it, acknowledge it let’s wait till your house burns down.”
Dia Mirza asked how long will the ‘defenceless’ be attacked in the name of religion and politics.
Actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt took a dig at the celebrities attending a dinner hosted by Union Minister Piyush Goyal in a bid to garner support for CAA.
Actor Ritiesh Deshmukh said that teachers being brutally attacked by masked goons inside JNU cannot and should not be tolerated.
Genelia Deshmukh too called the attack “sheer brutality.”
“Frightening visuals from #JNU. Praying that the #Delhipolice intervene swiftly and protect the students. Stay safe students. What a scary world we live in,” wrote actor Siddharth on the microblogging site.
Actor Richa Chadha said, “A few months ago JNU gave the world a Nobel laureate. Now JNU teachers and students are being beaten up for protesting a fee hike. World watches."
Director Anubhav Sinha tweeted, “Either this Government is not capable of maintaining law and order or they are complicit...”
Director Anurag Basu said, “We can't remain mute spectators anymore! #SOSJNU".
Actor Renuka Shahane wrote on the microblogging site: "Complete lawlessness! How could masked goons enter JNU & terrorize students and teachers? What is @DelhiPolice doing?... Unbelievable!! Scary!! Shameful."
Zeeshan asked people to reach the JNU in large numbers.
“By closing the doors and roads they have given free hand to their goons. Tell your friends and relatives, tell everyone and gather there together,” the actor said in a tweet.
“Friends in Okhla and Jamia go to Shaheen Bagh. This #JNUAttack has been done to divert attention and they'll surely attack Shaheen Bagh at night,” he tweeted.
Zeeshan further called for peace amid violence and urged people to exercise patience and take care of their friends.
Director Anurag Kashyap retweeted several purported videos of violence and vandalism from the JNU.
Hansal Mehta asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to intervene.
"Dear @ArvindKejriwal. Can you do something to stop the violence in JNU?" the filmmaker tweeted.
Writer Kanika Dhillon too asked Kejriwal to step in.
"Sir!!! Pls atleast reach there!!!! Ur presence will help!!!!" she said.
‘Masaan’ fame director Neeraj Ghaywan asked the police to help the students.
Aparna Sen alleged that the JNU students were being beaten up by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) "goons".
“How much longer are you going to look the other way? Or r u spineless? Yes I AM a liberal! Yes, I AM secular! And proud to be so if THIS is the alternative. Shame! Shame on ABVP & the police who are aiding & abetting them!” she tweeted.
Filmmaker-composer Vishal Bhardwaj also condemned the violence. "It's shameful and enraging to see what's happening in #JNUViolence," he said.
Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Sanon have also condemned the attack.
Director Bejoy Nambiar questioned the silence of many in the film fraternity.
"All you silent friends of mine watch this !!! Watch this & then come and talk to me about how concerned you are about the damage to ‘public' property. How is THIS OK ? How can we watch students & teachers being brutally attacked like this and stay quiet ?" he asked.
The Left-controlled JNUSU and the RSS-affiliated ABVP blamed each other for the violence that continued for nearly two hours. Several disturbing videos that show masked people carrying sticks and bats have gone viral on social media.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)