Shabana Azmi is one of the few film industry celebrities who has been supporting the protest launched by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG question paper leak earlier this year. However, unlike many others, she did not limit her solidarity to social media alone and has been with the protesters on the ground.On Monday, July 20, she joined thousands of citizens in their Chalo Sansad March towards Parliament. Later in the day, she shared a post on social media showing herself and veteran actor Prakash Raj in a truck with the protesters. Expressing elation at the government’s reported agreement to “have a dialogue finally,” Shabana reiterated that it is a “peaceful protest,” refuting allegations to the contrary.Check Out | Prakash Raj addresses CJP protesters, waves Indian ConstitutionShe also shared a video of herself walking through a large crowd of protesters. Shabana wrote, “Climbing up with the help of young colleagues to the protest site at Jantar Mantar to demand reforms within our educational system and an overhaul of the entire system. Allocate 6 per cent of GDP to education, public health and women’s empowerment to measure the success of our country.”Kaifi Azmi’s verses echo at Jantar MantarAlongside, Shabana Azmi also shared a couple of videos of herself reciting poems by her father, Kaifi Azmi, noting that those verses reflect the cost of speaking the truth. “It acknowledges that standing for truth may lead to persecution or even death (the gallows and the noose), but then asks a deeper question: What happens after that? Depending on interpretation, it can suggest that truth outlives oppression, that martyrdom is not the end, or that those who wield punishment cannot ultimately silence the truth.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shabana Azmi (@azmishabana18)During a conversation with PTI, she asserted that the protesters had no intention of resorting to violence. “We are here to hold a peaceful protest. This is a right guaranteed by our Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi taught us the path of non-violence. We have no intention of resorting to violence,” the acting legend noted.Shabana Azmi responds to Bollywood’s ‘silence’When asked why many of her Bollywood colleagues were silent on the matter, she said, “You are only worried about the fact that Bollywood celebrities are not present at the March. You don’t worry about the absence of industrialists and all the businessmen. When you ask these questions, you are sidelining the cause and creating unnecessary controversy. You should support those who are marching for this cause, rather than diluting the matter.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shabana Azmi (@azmishabana18) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shabana Azmi (@azmishabana18)While addressing the gathering, she maintained, “I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. Javed saab (her husband and legendary screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar) also wrote a letter saying, ‘Please just initiate a dialogue. We are not going to the press. We won’t turn this into a public issue. As a former member of the Rajya Sabha, I’m making this request in that capacity. At least hear us out.'”Prakash Raj slams ‘silent’ film industry celebritiesHowever, actor Prakash Raj tore into Tinseltown celebrities for their purported silence during the ongoing protests. “People who speak, the world is watching… who will stand by the people. Simple,” he told PeekTV. He added, “It is not the question of being happy. Now you know who is what. Such movements show who has integrity and who will stand for the people. Who am I to say? I can talk to myself. People have great voices, great actors… I wish they used it for this. They have not, people will judge! When history is written tomorrow, they may forgive those who might have made the mistake, but they will never forgive those who were silent.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by SCREEN (@ieentertainment)Kangana Ranaut, Hema Malini back Modi governmentMeanwhile, actors-turned-politicians Hema Malini and Kangana Ranaut, who are members of the ruling BJP, came down heavily on the protesters. Hema demanded that the demonstrators choose structured discussions over disruptive protests.Story continues below this ad“If there is a problem, it should be discussed properly. Protesting in this manner won’t achieve anything. As for the country’s youth and the education system, our Modi government has always stood by them and done a great deal of work; given that, the protests you are staging now make no sense at all. All I would say is that this matter should be resolved through dialogue,” news agency ANI quoted Hema Malini, who represents the Mathura constituency in Lok Sabha, as saying. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SCREEN (@ieentertainment)Actor and Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut maintained that the central government would not yield to pressure tactics. “You cannot arm-twist the government into deciding who to sack and who to keep. This arm-twisting is not good,” she told reporters outside Parliament.“It is the right of the government chosen by the people to decide how to run the government. If you feel so strongly, you should stand for election yourself,” she added. Kangana also attacked the Opposition for allegedly disrupting parliamentary proceedings.