Actor Prakash Raj's decision to remain at student protest sites during the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) demonstrations earlier this year left his wife, choreographer Pony Verma, worried about his safety. Recalling the episode in an interview on Prema's YouTube channel, Pony said she was shaken after watching videos of alleged police action against protesters and had urged her husband to stay at a hotel. He refused, choosing instead to sleep at the protest venue.
Pony said she was particularly distressed by footage showing lathi charges and the alleged use of pellets during the demonstrations. She recalled praying for his safety when she saw the videos.
"He said, these children are sitting there. I'm 60, but look at these children. What about their mothers? At least their mothers are feeling that Prakash Raj is sitting next to our children. That courage those mothers are getting. So, it's very, very courageous," she recalled him telling her.
She said she had offered to book him a hotel so that he could attend the protest during the day and return to a safer place at night. However, the actor declined and stayed on the stage, despite the lack of basic facilities.
"Extremely courageous of him to go and sit on that truck. And sleep there only. You know, I said, okay, you want to go, go there. Can I book a hotel for you? Please, at least stay in a hotel and come back. He says, no. He slept there only on the stage. No water, nothing," Pony said.
She added that she believed he did not need to put himself through such hardship, but understood his reason for doing so. "A man of that calibre doesn't need to do all this. But he says it's for the future of this country. It's the future of our children, and I can't disagree with him," she said.
Prakash Raj joined protests in Bengaluru and Delhi
Prakash Raj participated in the CJP-led demonstrations in June and July, joining students in Bengaluru and New Delhi. The protests followed allegations of irregularities in the NEET examinations after a paper leak. The CJP and several student groups demanded the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding the government accountable for the examination controversy.
The actor joined protesters at Bengaluru's Freedom Park in June. In July, he travelled to Delhi, where he joined activist Sonam Wangchuk and students at Jantar Mantar. Later that month, he and actor Shabana Azmi participated in the Chalo Sansad march towards Parliament.
The demonstrations drew attention to alleged police action against protesters. Videos of the confrontation circulated widely on social media, prompting questions about the force used by the police. The Delhi Police said that prior permission had not been sought for the march.
In statements and an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, the police maintained that they had exercised "maximum restraint and minimum required force". In a subsequent affidavit, the force also defended its response, citing the size of the gathering and alleged violence after barricades were breached.
CJP protests and subsequent developments
The CJP-led agitation began over alleged examination irregularities and demands for accountability in the conduct of competitive tests. The demonstrations at Jantar Mantar continued through June and July, with students and activists calling for reforms and action against those responsible for the alleged paper leak.
The protest was called off on July 25 after the Centre gave assurances on some of the demonstrators' demands, including the replacement of Pradhan as education minister and the withdrawal of police cases against student protesters without criminal records. Pralhad Joshi subsequently took charge of the Education Ministry.
The matter later reached the Supreme Court. On September 2, the court invoked its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to order the closure of cases registered against the student protesters. The CJP also withdrew a proposed fresh march to Parliament following the developments.
The Supreme Court has separately taken up allegations of excessive police force and violence during the July 20 march, with a committee constituted to examine the incidents. The allegations of police excesses and the Delhi Police's account of its response remain distinct claims under examination.