'Being Able To Look Away Is A Privilege': Ira Khan On Why She Stayed Silent On Jantar Mantar Student Protest

Ira Khan has explained why she remained silent on the CJP-led student protest at Jantar Mantar, saying she avoids distressing news to protect her mental health. Her statement comes as several Bollywood personalities publicly back students protesting over the alleged paper leak issue.

Ira Khan breaks silence on CJP protest.

Source : Instagram

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Ira Khan explained her silence on recent student protests.
• Distressing news overwhelms Ira, affecting her mental well-being.
• She felt unable to meaningfully contribute to protest discourse.
• Many film personalities publicly backed the ongoing student protests.

Ira Khan, daughter of actor Aamir Khan, has addressed questions over her silence on the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) student-led protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Sharing a detailed video on Instagram, Ira said she deliberately stayed away from the issue because she did not believe she could contribute meaningfully to the conversation. She also revealed that consuming news about violence and protests overwhelms her emotionally, prompting her to limit exposure to such content. Her statement comes as several members of the film industry have publicly expressed support for the students protesting over the alleged examination paper leak issue.

Ira Khan On Her Silence

In an Instagram video, Ira Khan said she felt it was important to explain why she had not commented on the ongoing student protest. "It is true that I am an advocate for mental health and I ask for your attention whenever I speak on these topics. I think that mental health is all of life," she said. Explaining her decision, Ira added, "The first that comes to my mind is that I didn't think I had anything to say that was going to add to the conversation in any manner." She also said she consciously avoids consuming distressing news because it leaves her feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ira Khan (@khan.ira)

"I know that they are happening, and I know what is happening, but I don't let myself emotionally reach me because it really bothers me and I get overwhelmed, and I start to feel really helpless," she said.

Mental Health And Social Media

Ira explained that staying away from news and social media is a personal choice that helps her manage her mental well-being. She revealed that the only moment she became anxious was after seeing a social media reel suggesting that one of her cousins had been detained during the protest. After confirming that her cousin was safe, she returned to work. Ira also apologised if her silence had appeared insensitive, saying she simply did not believe her opinion would have made a meaningful difference.

In the caption accompanying her post, she acknowledged her privilege, writing, "I see that being able to afford to have the option at all to look away is a privilege. I'm figuring out what my most helpful role can be that aligns with my values, and that's what I'll do."

Film Industry Backs Student Protest

Ira's remarks come at a time when several film personalities have publicly backed the CJP-led student protest at Jantar Mantar. Actors Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Bhumi Pednekar and Nandita Das have voiced support for the students. Actor Prakash Raj also expressed solidarity with the demonstrators and praised activist Sonam Wangchuk after he ended his 26-day fast. He further questioned the delay in Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

While many film personalities have chosen to publicly support the Jantar Mantar student protest, Ira Khan has explained that her silence stemmed from concerns about her own mental health and a belief that she had little meaningful contribution to make to the conversation.