Soundarya Rajinikanth backs NEET protest students at Jantar Mantar
Synopsis
Soundarya Rajinikanth and Manju Warrier have lent their voices to the NEET-UG protest wave sweeping India — but the bigger story is a two-hour government meeting that ended with no resolution, as the CJP refused to drop its demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. With protests now in five states and celebrities amplifying the cause, the Centre faces mounting pressure.
Key Takeaways
Soundarya Rajinikanth expressed solidarity with protesting students on 24 July via Instagram, calling for their voices to be heard 'with empathy, dignity, and respect.' Malayalam actress Manju Warrier also backed the protests, saying 'Humanity should prevail over politics.' Students and Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) members are protesting at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi , demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET-UG paper leaks .
Protests have spread to Mumbai , Bengaluru , Chennai , Manipur , and Punjab .
A nearly two-hour meeting between Union Ministers J P Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh and CJP spokespersons ended inconclusively on Friday.
Producer Soundarya Rajinikanth, younger daughter of Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, on Friday, 24 July expressed solidarity with students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over recurring examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. Taking to her Instagram page, she called for student voices to be heard 'with empathy, dignity, and respect.'
What Soundarya Rajinikanth Said
In her Instagram post, Soundarya wrote: 'In solidarity with the students of India. Students are our future. Their voices deserve to be heard with empathy, dignity, and respect.' She added, 'Every student deserves an education system that inspires confidence, fairness, and hope. Let's continue striving for that future.'
Malayalam Actress Manju Warrier Joins the Chorus
Popular Malayalam actress Manju Warrier also weighed in, posting on Instagram that 'Humanity should prevail over politics.' She elaborated: 'Our youth have the right to ask questions, raise concerns, and expect meaningful dialogue. Trust in the examination system must be protected, across India. Faith in our education system can only be strengthened through transparency, accountability, and fairness. Merit must prevail. Truth must matter. Our students deserve hope, not fear, and a future built on fairness.'
The Protests: Background and Spread
The demonstrations at Jantar Mantar have been organised by students and members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), who are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over repeated examination irregularities, with the NEET-UG paper leak at the centre of the controversy. The protests have since spread to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Manipur, and Punjab, reflecting the scale of student discontent across the country.
Government Talks Remain Inconclusive
Union Ministers J P Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh held discussions with CJP spokespersons in New Delhi on Friday in a bid to address the protesters' grievances. The meeting lasted nearly two hours but remained inconclusive, with the CJP holding firm on its primary demand — the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The stalemate signals that the standoff between the government and protesting groups is far from resolved.
What Comes Next
With celebrity voices amplifying student demands and government talks yielding no breakthrough, pressure on the Centre is likely to intensify. The NEET-UG controversy has already triggered judicial scrutiny and parliamentary debate; how the government responds to the resignation demand in the coming days will be closely watched.
Point of View
Not the story — the real signal here is that a two-hour government sit-down produced nothing. The CJP's refusal to move on the resignation demand reflects how deeply trust in the examination system has eroded. The NEET-UG leak is not an isolated incident; it is part of a pattern of paper irregularities that have repeatedly surfaced under the current education administration. The Centre's response so far has been procedural rather than structural, and until there is a credible accountability mechanism — not just meetings — the protests are unlikely to subside.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are students protesting at Jantar Mantar?
Students and members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) are protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over recurring examination irregularities, including the NEET-UG paper leak. The protests have spread to multiple states including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Manipur, and Punjab.
What did Soundarya Rajinikanth say about the NEET protests?
Soundarya Rajinikanth posted on Instagram on 24 July expressing solidarity with protesting students, stating that 'Students are our future. Their voices deserve to be heard with empathy, dignity, and respect.' She also called for an education system that 'inspires confidence, fairness, and hope.'
What was the outcome of the government's talks with CJP?
Union Ministers J P Nadda and Dr Jitendra Singh met CJP spokespersons in New Delhi on Friday for nearly two hours, but the talks remained inconclusive. The CJP held firm on its demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
What did Manju Warrier say about the student protests?
Malayalam actress Manju Warrier posted on Instagram saying 'Humanity should prevail over politics,' and called for transparency, accountability, and fairness in the examination system. She said students 'deserve hope, not fear, and a future built on fairness.'
What is the CJP's main demand in the NEET protests?
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is primarily demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding this position firm even after two hours of discussions with senior Union Ministers on 24 July.
