Imran Khan Decries Police Lathi‑Charge on CJP Student Protesters

On a sweltering morning at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, a sea of students marched under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, demanding that their voices be heard in the corridors of power. What should have been a peaceful rally turned chaotic when police surged forward, swinging lathis and unleashing tear‑gas on a crowd that was, by all accounts, unarmed.

Among the on‑lookers was Bollywood actor Imran Khan, who later took to Instagram to voice his outrage. ‘Something broke in me today,’ he wrote, describing the sight of baton‑wielding officers battering young activists. ‘Bootlickers, one and all,’ he added, a phrase that quickly rippled through social‑media feeds.

Imran’s post was more than a terse outburst; it carried a lingering sense of helplessness. He questioned a system that would choose force over dialogue, warning that ignoring the concerns of the nation’s future “forfeits all our tomorrows.” The caption, peppered with a few extra commas and a hesitant pause, felt like a friend speaking straight from the heart rather than a polished press release.

The incident itself took place on Monday, 20 July 2026. Police reports later confirmed that baton‑charge (lathi‑charge) and tear‑gas were deployed after the protesters attempted to enter the Parliament precinct. No official statement from the Delhi Police has yet explained why such a heavy‑handed response was deemed necessary against a student gathering.

Imran’s condemnation was not an isolated voice. Fellow celebrities—singer‑actor Diljit Dosanjh, actress Preity Zinta, and star Riteish Deshmukh—also voiced solidarity with the students, amplifying the backlash against the authorities. Their collective reactions, captured in a wave of news articles on platforms like News9Live and News18, painted a broader picture of discontent within India’s entertainment fraternity.

For many on the ground, the police’s aggressive tactics felt like a stark reminder of past crackdowns on dissent. Yet, the outpouring of support from public figures added a fresh layer of pressure on the government, demanding accountability and a shift toward dialogue rather than force.

As the dust settles, the hashtag #BootlickersOneAndAll continues to trend, echoing Imran’s raw, unscripted plea: listen to the youth, or risk losing the very future they are fighting for.