25 July,2026 02:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Abhishek Banerjee. Pic via Instagr
Amid the ongoing student protests across the country over the NEET paper leak, several celebrities were seen getting onto the streets and joining in the protests to show thier support to the students. Among them, actor Abhishek Banerjee, who joined the protest happening in Goa on Friday, July 24. He was seen addressing the crowd gathered at the site and holding a creative banner.
In the videos circulating online, Abhishek was seen standing on an elevated platform as he addressed the protestors at the site. He can be heard saying, "What a way to say hi to all of you," as the crowd erupted in cheers. When someone from the crowd shouted, "Welcome to Goa," he acknowledged them, saying, "Thank you."
He further continued, "By the way, I am a fan of Gen Z. Millennials ne shuru kiya tha, Gen Z yeh khatam karenge. (What the Millennials started, the Gen Z will end). Very proud."
"And I have brought something for our honourable Prime Minister," he said before holding up a poster with the words, "Modi Ji please change your DP (Dharmendra Pradhan)."
According to The Indian Express, the Stree actor later spoke to the media at the protest site and said, "Yesterday when I told people that I am going to Goa to protest, they were quite surprised that how come Goans are protesting. Goa is such a ⦠how do you put it ⦠a laidback place. But that's the kind of angst and anger I think the youth has. And it is not limited to Jantar Mantar [in] Delhi, it has spread across the country and rightly so. What kind of arrogant government will not listen to their kids? These are the future of our country."
Banerjee also urged the people to "come out of their homes" and support the protests, saying, "I think every one of us needs to come out of our homes. And start supporting. Leave your jobs, leave your workâ¦I think this is not the time to think about your career, because if we don't stand up right now, our future is going to be destroyed."
Banerjee shared that he also joined the protests to tell the youth that "not all actors are silent". "I feel very good, satisfied that I am here [to protest in Goa]. I would have been really disappointed if I would not have been able to come for the protest here. Thanks to my wife, she made a house in Goa, so that's also one of the reasonsâ¦I thought it's important to tell the youth that not all actors are silent. We know how to voice our opinion when it really matters," the actor said.
Hundreds of protestors showed up in Mapusa Friday evening in solidarity with the protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Protestors reportedly gathered at the Lohia Maidan in Mapusa around 7 pm, and raised slogans before dispersing around 9 pm.
Earlier on Wednesday, a protest was also held at Azad Maidan in Panaji. The protest was triggered by BJP vice-president Narendra Sawaikar by putting a post on social media, saying "cockroaches are with termites".
Similarly, on Monday evening, protesters had gathered near the Miramar circle where they held a candle-light solidarity march to Azad Maidan against the violence against the students in Delhi earlier that day.
