JNU violence: Riteish Deshmukh to Shabana Azmi, Bollywood reacts to rampage

New Delhi: Bollywood celebrities including actors Riteish Deshmukh and Shabana Azmi took to social media to condemn the rampage carried out by a masked mob on the students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday.

Terming the incident as "horrific", actor Riteish Deshmukh took to Twitter and said, "Why do you need to cover your face? Because you know you are doing something wrong, illegal & punishable. There is no honour in this-Its horrific to see the visuals of students & teachers brutally attacked by masked goons inside JNU-Such violence cannot & should not be tolerated."

Deskhmukh's wife and actor Genelia Deshmukh also took Twitter to condemn the attacks on JNU students. "Absolutely disturbed to see the visuals of masked goons enter JNU and attack students & teachers - sheer brutality!! Humble appeal to the police to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice," she tweeted.

Actor Swara Bhasker who is an alumnus of the university was quite vocal about the issue since the very beginning of it. Bhasker tweeted a video of the JNU Student Union President Aishe Ghosh bleeding and crying. "JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh attacked by alleged ABVP Goons... This attack is ONGOING @DelhiPolice Vasant Kunj thana is less than 1km away!!!!!!!! Why are you letting this happen???" Bhasker tweeted.

The actor also shared a video of herself urging the residents of New Delhi to reach JNU campus gates in large numbers. Bhaskar further claimed that her parents live in the JNU campus. Senior actor Shabana Azmi shared Bhasker's video and said, "This is beyond shocking! Condemnation is not enough. Immediate action needs to be taken against the perpetrators."

Actor Dia Mirza throwing a powerful question at netizens, tweeted, "How long will this be allowed to continue? How long will you turn a blind eye? How long will the defenceless be attacked in the name of politics or religion? Enough is enough. @DelhiPolice."

'Pink' actor Taapsee Pannu also shared a video of the rampage and tweeted, "such is the condition inside what we consider to be a place where our future is shaped. It's getting scarred for ever. Irreversible damage. What kind of shaping up is happening here, it's there for us to see.... saddening."

Earlier on Sunday evening, more than 18 students, including JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh, were injured and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the JNU and attacked them and professors with sticks and rods. The JNU administration and political leaders, cutting across political lines, had condemned the attack on students and urged the police to take action against the perpetrators.