Hollywood star John Cusack joins Bollywood celebrities to speak up for Jamia students
Mumbai, Dec 16: Condemning the police crackdown inside Jamia Millia university, several film industry insiders, including one from Hollywood, on Monday rallied behind the university's students and said the government is trying to stifle voices of dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Hollywood star John Cusack joined prominent names from the Hindi film fraternity, including director Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Konkona Sensharma and Sudhir Mishra, in expressing his anger over Sunday's violence inside the campus.
Thousands of students across India took to the streets demanding a probe into the use of teargas inside the Jamia library as well as police entering the campus without permission from university authorities on Sunday.
Jamia turned into a battlefield on Sunday as police entered the campus and used force to quell student protests against the Act.
Many on social media noted the usual silence of top stars, directors and producers in Bollywood but there were many who voiced their support for student protests.
"Serendipity" star Cusack also took note of the videos from inside the campus, which were circulated widely on social media.
"Reports from Delhi are - it was a war zone last night - Fascism is not a joke - we use the word with the understanding, it's deadly," he said in a series of tweets after first asking for the context of the protests.
Director Anurag Kashyap, who had left Twitter in August this year, returned to the social media platform to voice his anger over the way student protests were handled.
"This has gone too far... (I) can't stay silent any longer. This government is clearly fascist... and it makes me angry to see voices that can actually make a difference stay quiet...," he tweeted.
Actor Taapsee Pannu said the videos of police action inside the campus are heartbreaking.
"Wonder if this is a start or the end. Whatever it is, this is surely writing new rules of the land and those who don't fit in can very well see the consequences. This video breaks heart and hopes all together. Irreversible damage, and I'm not talking about just the life and property," she wrote on Twitter.
Director Sudhir Mishra recalled his 1987 film "Yeh Woh Manzil Toh Nahin" with student politics in the backdrop.
"Towards the climax, the police enter the campus and brutally beat up the students. Nothing has changed. Terrible that now we know where the flowers (have) gone. Crushed!"
"We are with the students! Shame on you @DelhiPolice," said actor-filmmaker Konkona Sensharma.
"Newton" star Rajkummar Rao condemned the police action against the students while appealing for peaceful protests.
"I strongly condemn the violence that the police have shown in dealing with the students. In a democracy, the citizens have the right to peacefully protest. I also condemn any kind of act of destruction of the public properties. Violence is not the solution for anything!" he wrote on Twitter.
In a pointed tweet, actor Sayani Gupta said, "On behalf of the students of Jamia & AMU request at least one of you to tweet or message Mr Modi condemning this act of police brutality and violence against students. The time has come to speak up guys. Yes? No? May be? @RanveerOfficial, @karanjohar, @ayushmannk, @RajkummarRao."
South star Siddharth tweeted, "These two are not Krishna and Arjuna. They are Shakuni and Duryodhana. Stop attacking #universities! Stop assaulting #students! #JamiaMilia #JamiaProtest."
Writer-comedian Varun Grover said history will take note of what happened in Jamia.
"Whatever may be next, but this fact will always be in history that some cunning people tried to divide this great country in the name of religion, the most sacred place of a university, tears and gas on the students studying in the library, sticks, and rained abuses. The present will blur, history will remain," Grover tweeted in Hindi.
Actor Ali Fazal said now was not the time to stay silent, irrespective of one's ideological divide.
"It's funny, I felt, hey Ali, let's play it safe all these years. And now I can't. A lot of my colleagues may not speak up at all. But I pray we all realise there is no job, no career above humanity. Socho, aur time kam hai toh act fast (Think, and if you have no time, then act fast). Irrespective of your political ideologies right now," he said.
Actor Swara Bhasker said she was shocked by what had happened.
"Why are students being treated like criminals? Why are hostels being tear gassed.. ??? What is going on #DelhiPolice ???? Shocking and shameful!"
Actors Richa Chadha and Vikrant Massey and directors Anubhav Sinha, Onir and Reema Kagti were also among those who voiced support for those protesting against the Act.
Superstar Akshay Kumar found himself in a row after he accidentally liked a tweet tagging a video showing students running away from police personnel.
He said he had accidentally liked the tweet which read, "Badhai Ho... Jamia me Azaadi mili hai."
"Regarding the 'like' on the tweet of Jamia Milia students, it was by mistake. I was scrolling and accidentally it must have been pressed and when I realised I immediately unliked it as in no way do I support such acts," Akshay said.
This has gone too far.. can’t stay silent any longer . This government is clearly fascist .. and it makes me angry to see voices that can actually make a difference stay quiet ..
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) December 16, 2019
Wonder if this is a start or the end. Whatever it is, this is surely writing new rules of the land and those who don’t fit in can very well see the consequences.
— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) December 16, 2019
This video breaks heart n hopes all together. Irreversible damage,and I’m not talking about just the life n property https://t.co/QGaZYpDCR6
In 1987 I made a film called Yeh Woh Manzil Toh Nahin on the background of student politics . Towards the climax the police enter the campus and brutally beat up the students . Nothing has changed . Terrible that now we know where the flowers gone . Crushed !
— Sudhir Mishra (@IAmSudhirMishra) December 16, 2019
We are with the students! Shame on you @DelhiPolice
— Konkona Sensharma (@konkonas) December 15, 2019
I strongly condemn the violence that the police have shown in dealing with the students. In a democracy the citizens have the right to peacefully protest.I also condemn any kind of act of destruction of the public properties. Violence is not the solution for anything!
— Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) December 16, 2019
These two are not Krishna and Arjuna. They are Shakuni and Duryodhana.
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) December 16, 2019
Stop attacking #universities! Stop assaulting #students! #JamiaMilia #JamiaProtest
अब आगे चाहे जो भी हो लेकिन ये तथ्य हमेशा इतिहास में रहेगा कि कुछ मक्कार लोगों ने धर्म के नाम पे इस महान देश को बाँटने की कोशिश में एक विश्वविद्यालय की सबसे पावन जगह, लाइब्रेरी में पढ़ते छात्र-छात्राओं पर आँसू-गैस, लाठियां, व गालियां बरसाईं।
— वरुण (@varungrover) December 16, 2019
वर्तमान धुंधला जाएगा, इतिहास रहेगा।
Its funny,i felt hey ali lets play it safe all these years. And now i cant. a lot of my colleagues may not speak up at all.But i pray we all realise there is no job no career above humanity. socho, aur time kam hai toh act fast.irrespective of your political ideologies right now
— Ali Fazal M / میر علی فضل / अली (@alifazal9) December 16, 2019
"Don't understand why students are being treated as criminals in Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh University": Swara Bhasker on protests against #CitizenshipAct#CitizenshipAct #NDTVExclusive #CAA2019
— NDTV (@ndtv) December 16, 2019
Follow live on https://t.co/Fbzw6mR9Q5 and NDTV 24x7 pic.twitter.com/avDze8Wp31
Regarding the ‘like’ on the tweet of Jamia Milia students, it was by mistake. I was scrolling and accidentally it must have been pressed and when I realised I immediately unliked it as In no way do I support such acts.
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 16, 2019
Solidarity @arnav_d: Thank you John for speaking up. Thank you. https://t.co/LEpHMFACmM”
— John Cusack (@johncusack) December 16, 2019
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Telangana survey flags 89,000 child labourers, highlights caste disparities in employment
Hyderabad: A caste-based survey conducted by the Telangana government for 2024–25 has identified around 89,000 children engaged in labour across the state, with a large share belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
The findings are part of the Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey, which covered about 3.5 crore people across 242 caste groups. According to the report, nearly one per cent of individuals below 18 years are involved in daily wage work. While the percentage appears small, officials noted that the absolute number reflects a serious concern.
The survey found that 11 per cent of identified child labourers belong to the ST Lambadi community, while 14 per cent are from the SC Madiga community. The highest incidence was reported among the ST Kolam group, where 7.2 per cent of minors are engaged in daily wage labour.
The data also revealed wider socio-economic disparities. Nearly half of the Scheduled Caste population is dependent on daily wage work, while only around 5 per cent are employed in the private sector, compared to about 30 per cent among General Castes.
State Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the findings show that SC and ST communities remain three times more backward than General Castes, while Backward Classes are about 2.7 times more disadvantaged.
The report further noted that, on average, 31.3 per cent of people in the 25–65 age group depend on daily wage work. Among communities, the BC-A Odde group recorded the highest share at 55 per cent. In contrast, only 2.6 per cent of OC Brahmins rely on such work.
Several SC and ST communities, including Kolam, Beda, Madiga, Koya, Gond, Yerukulas and Mala Sale, were found to have among the highest proportions of daily wage earners. On the other hand, most General Caste communities and some Backward Class groups such as Goldsmiths and BC-C Christians showed lower dependence on daily wage employment.
The survey also pointed to inequalities in access to formal employment. Communities such as OC Rajus, OC Brahmins and Kapus were found to have a higher presence in private sector jobs, with up to 27 per cent of their population employed in such roles.
