Violence Against Peaceful Protesters Wrong In Thriving Democracy, Says Priyanka Chopra

MUMBAI : Priyanka Chopra on Thursday on broke her silence on the police crackdown against the students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, saying in a thriving democracy, violence against peaceful protesters is "wrong”.

The 37-year-old actor is the latest Bollywood star to react to the violence against the students for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Sunday evening.

The police entered the Jamia Millia campus after the protest against the Act by the students turned violent.

"Education for every child is our dream. Education is what empowered them to think independently. We have raised them to have a voice.

"In a thriving democracy, to raise one's voice peacefully and be met with violence is wrong. Every voice counts. And each voice will work towards changing India. #Havevoicewillraise #Havevoicemustraise" Priyanka said in a statement posted on Twitter on Wednesday.

Many from the film fraternity including actors Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Parineeti Chopra, Siddharth Malhotra, veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar, filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj and Anurag Kashyap, and Hollywood actor John Cusack have expressed solidarity with the youth over the police crackdown inside the varsity campuses.

There have been widespread protests held across India against the CAA, according to which, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution there will get Indian citizenship.

The protesters claim that the legislation is "unconstitutional and divisive" as it excludes Muslims. (PTI)

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