Hollywood actor John Cusack has thrown his support behind students protesting over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. By sharing an essay by author and activist Arundhati Roy, the actor has joined a growing number of Indian and international public figures standing in solidarity with the movement.
His post comes shortly after clashes between protesters and Delhi Police during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) 'Chalo Sansad' march, which has kept the spotlight firmly on the alleged paper leak and demands for reforms in the country's examination system.
John Cusack Shares Arundhati Roy's Essay
On Thursday, the High Fidelity and Serendipity star took to X to share Arundhati Roy's essay, Cockroach Democracy: Unarmed and Dangerous. The article criticised the reported use of force against students marching towards Parliament earlier this week.
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Along with the essay, Cusack wrote, "Beautiful news from my favourite fellow cockroach."
This is not the first time the actor has voiced support for student movements in India. Back in 2019, he spoke out in favour of protests against the amended Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and criticised the police action against students at Jamia Millia Islamia University.
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Film Industry Extends Support to Student Movement
Cusack's post adds to the growing support the protest has received from the entertainment industry. Among the celebrities who have publicly backed the students are Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and several other actors and filmmakers.
In a detailed Instagram post shared on Wednesday night, Salman Khan called the alleged paper leak "a very serious issue" and wrote, "It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt."
He also praised the students for demanding reforms, adding, "This andolan, this protest, is the right way to go abt it. This issue is between the students and the educational system, it should not be hijacked politically."
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Apart from Salman Khan, several other film personalities have also expressed support for the students in recent days, including Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Dulquer Salmaan, Sonakshi Sinha, Imran Khan, Richa Chadha, Swara Bhasker, Huma Qureshi, Revathy, Tovino Thomas, Abhay Deol and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.