"Believing we deserve better is not a crime."
Rapper Hanumankind joined students at the Chalo Sansad protest in New Delhi, making a bold public statement.
The artist, best known for tracks like ‘Big Dawgs’ and ‘Run It Up’, was seen marching alongside protesters at the demonstration.
Videos from the march showed Hanumankind dressed in an Indian cricket jersey and wearing a face mask throughout.
In one widely circulated clip, the rapper briefly looked into the camera and posed before continuing his march with the crowd.
He also shared videos from the ground on social media, openly expressing his views on the police action that followed.
Sharing footage recorded before the crackdown began, he wrote:
“Right before the cops started firing tear gas and beating people with sticks.”
He later reposted a video showing protesters facing tear gas shells and baton charges from police at multiple locations.
Condemning the use of force, he wrote: “There’s no justification for this kind of force being used against the people that showed up today.
“Believing we deserve better is not a crime.”
He also reshared a note that read: “I witnessed two very different demonstrations. One created by the people. One created by the response.”
His participation and online posts drew significant attention and amplified the protest’s visibility among younger audiences across the country.
Several prominent figures from the film industry also showed up or expressed solidarity with the student-led movement.
Actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj joined the protesters at Jantar Mantar in person during the demonstration.
Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Dia Mirza, Sonu Sood, Vir Das, Bhumi Pednekar and Tovino Thomas voiced their support online.
The protests were spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party with the backing of renowned activist Sonam Wangchuk throughout.
Students from across India have gathered under this movement to demand sweeping and long overdue reforms in the education system.
Among their central demands is a transparent investigation into the widely discussed NEET irregularities that have angered students nationwide.
Protesters are also calling for greater accountability in how national entrance examinations are conducted and overseen by authorities.
They have further demanded structural reforms designed to make India’s education system more equitable and genuinely student-centric overall.
The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also been listed as one of the movement’s key demands.
Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike, has consistently urged the Centre to engage in dialogue with student representatives.
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