JNU Violence: Prithviraj & Other Malayalam Stars Condemn Attack On Students

Malayalam celebrities has condemned the attack on students at JNU, saying it was a "criminal offence" and deserves harshest punishment.

The Malayalam Film industry has condemned the attack on students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), saying it was a "criminal offence" and deserves harshest punishment. In a Facebook Post, Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran said entering an institution of knowlege and education and unleasing violence on students with scant regard for law and order, was an absolute murder of all democratic values. "Regardless of what ideology you stand for, what cause youre fighting for, what end to this means you might be hoping for, violence and vandalism is not and never will be the answer to anything." For a nation that won its independence from colonialism through a non-violence, non-cooperation movement, it's truly deplorable that today the word 'revolution' is automatically equated to a call for violence and lawlessness, Prithviraj wrote in his Facebook post. "To be entering an institution of knowledge and education, and unleashing violence on students with scant regard for law and order is an absolute murder of all democratic values," he said. It's a criminal offence of the highest order that deserves the harshest punishment. But also do remember, any form of protest that endorses violence is an equally condemnable act, the "celluloid" actor added. Another Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas said, "When the students of a premier university get attacked by cowards without faces and the system fails to stand firm against this, something is seriously and gravely wrong in this country!". "Whatever be your political affiliation, if you are still believing that everything is normal here, you are terribly mistaken ! Unless and until those cowards are caught and punished for what they did to our students, this nation is not going to sleep!." (Facebook) Actor Murali Gopy described the attack on students as "Black Shirts' terror @ JNU! History suggests that this is yet another ominous portent of a democracy's steady decline into a fascist Black Hole," he wrote on his facebook page. (Facebook) While Nivin Pauly described the attack on students as "horrifying and frightening" and brutality at its worst.

What happened in #JNU last night was horrifying and frightening. This is brutality at its worst! Those attackers behind this violence against students and teachers must be punished. It’s time we stand united against hate and violence. #StandWithJNU #JNUViolence

— Nivin Pauly (@NivinOfficial) January 6, 2020

Actor-turned Director Geetu Mohandas said, "What the hell is going on ! What next ? A war against children ?" (Facebook)