'Horrific', 'Heartbreaking': More Voices From Film Industry Decry JNU Violence

New Delhi: "Horrifying", "heartbreaking" and "barbaric" is how many in the film industry, including actors-filmmakers Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon, Anurag Kashyap and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, described the Sunday night violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University while demanding that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

Violence broke out at the JNU on Sunday night as masked persons armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march.

At least 28 people, including JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours. 

"Shocking disgusting and cowardly. Have the b**** to at least show your face when you want to attack innocents," Sonam wrote on Twitter.

Kashyap, who has been posting videos of what went inside the JNU campus, wrote, "Hindutva terrorism is now totally out there. #JNUSU."

Rajkummar called the attack on students and teachers "heartbreaking".  

"What happened in #JNU is shameful, horrific and heartbreaking. Those who are responsible behind these attacks should be punished. #JNUViolence," he tweeted.

Kriti said violence was never the solution and what happened in varsity was inhuman.  

"It breaks my heart to see what happened at JNU! What's going on in India is horrifying!! Students & teachers being beaten up & terrorized by masked cowards!! The constant blame game! Stooping so low for political agendas! Violence is NEVER a solution! How have we become so inhuman?" she said.

Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava wrote, "A democratically elected government in a functioning democracy is accountable to the people. Who from the government is taking responsibility for the violent attacks on students? Who is going to resign?"

Director-writer Reema Kagti tweeted, "I stand with the students and people of India. Shame on the government of India for their brutality and barbarism. #JNU #AMU #Jamiya #NoToNRC #NoToCAA."

Actors Swara Bhasker, Shabana Azmi, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and Taapsee Pannu, and filmmakers Aparna Sen, Anubhav Sinha and Hansal Mehta were among the first to condemn the violence in JNU.

Swara, whose mother Ira Bhaskar is a professor at the JNU, took to Twitter to appeal to the people on social media to reach the campus "to pressure the government and Delhi Police" to control the violence.

She later tweeted, "My mom is safe. JNU is peaceful for now & the gates are open! Eternal gratitude to the citizen protestors of Delhi who showed up at JNU main gate earlier tonight- you saved JNU! Thanks to the media and reporters who risked their own safety & showed us what terror was unleashed today."

Azmi said she was shocked by the violence and called for immediate action against the perpetrators.

"Is this really happening? I'm not in India and it all seems like a nightmare... Reprehensible, appalling condemnable. Immediate action must be taken against the perpetrators," she tweeted.

Aparna alleged that the JNU students were being beaten up by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) "goons".

"How much longer are you going to look the other way? Or r u spineless? Yes I AM a liberal! Yes, I AM secular! And proud to be so if THIS is the alternative. Shame! Shame on ABVP & the police who are aiding & abetting them!" she tweeted.

Taapsee said it was saddening to see an educational institution "getting scarred forever".

Zeeshan asked people to reach the JNU in large numbers.

"By closing the doors and roads they have given free hand to their goons. Tell your friends and relatives, tell everyone and gather there together," the actor said in a tweet.

"Friends in Okhla and Jamia go to Shaheen Bagh. This #JNUAttack has been done to divert attention and they'll surely attack Shaheen Bagh at night," he tweeted.

Zeeshan further called for peace amid violence and urged people to exercise patience and take care of their friends.

"Masaan" director Neeraj Ghaywan asked the police to help the students.

"Extremely distressing video from JNU," he said.

Filmmaker-composer Vishal Bhardwaj also condemned the violence. "It's shameful and enraging to see what's happening in #JNUViolence," he said.

Director Bejoy Nambiar questioned the silence of many in the film fraternity.

"All you silent friends of mine watch this !!! Watch this & then come and talk to me about how concerned you are about the damage to ‘public' property. How is THIS OK ? How can we watch students & teachers being brutally attacked like this and stay quiet?" he asked.

"#SOSJNU @DelhiPolice this is NOT OK. JNUSU president has been brutally beaten up. She is severely wounded. Media Please het there @ndtv @BBCIndia #JNU," tweeted director Onir.

Actor Richa Chadha said: "Name and shame them. If the cops don't act, if the authorities vie to make them ministers, it is we must act. Name and shame these aggressors and goons. They shouldn't be getting jobs or degrees."

"Frightening visuals from #JNU. Praying that the #Delhipolice intervene swiftly and protect the students. Stay safe students. What a scary world we live in," wrote actor Siddharth on the microblogging site.

Director Anubhav Sinha tweeted: "Either this Government is not capable of maintaining law and order or they are complicit..."

Writer Gaurav Solanki called the attack on the varsity "an act of terror by terrorists".

Director Anurag Basu said: "We can't remain mute spectators anymore! #SOSJNU".

Actor Renuka Shahane termed the attacks "unbelievable, shameful and scary".