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Actor and filmmaker Amol Palekar has spoken out against the alleged police brutality during the recent student protest in Delhi, addressing an open letter to the demonstrators. Expressing both anguish and admiration, the veteran actor praised the students for standing up for democratic values and assured them that he and his wife, Sandhya, would extend legal, medical and financial support if needed.

In his letter published by Mid Day, Palekar thanked the students for carrying forward the ideals of democracy and said every generation has the responsibility to continue the unfinished work of safeguarding democratic values. He wrote, "I write to you not merely in solidarity, but with gratitude. Every generation inherits the unfinished work of democracy. Yours has accepted both the burden and the privilege of carrying it forward."

Reflecting on the developments in Delhi, Palekar referred to Albert Camus' Caligula, saying the events reminded him of how unchecked power can distance itself from morality. He also recalled several historical movements, including the Paris student protests of 1968, the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, Tiananmen Square and Gujarat's Navnirman Andolan, arguing that young voices have never been permanently silenced by force.

According to Palekar, "Authority may command obedience for a while; it cannot indefinitely command the conscience of a generation."

Amol Palekar's criticism of the police actionThe veteran actor said the visuals from the protest left him deeply disturbed and argued that universities are spaces where questioning authority is both natural and necessary. He wrote, "The images of the brutality inflicted upon you have filled us with anguish and anger."

Calling the use of force against students a failure of democratic values, he added, "A society learns to question itself in its universities. To question those who hold power over your future is not a privilege you seek; it is a democratic responsibility you fulfil. When questions are answered with batons instead of reason, it is not the students who stand diminished. It is the State."

Why Amol Palekar stayed away from the protestPalekar explained that he was not physically present at the protest for two reasons. He said age had placed limitations on him, while he also wanted the spotlight to remain on the students rather than on public figures supporting them. He wrote, "If I was not there beside you physically, it was for two reasons. The first one I resent deeply: age has imposed boundaries on my body that my spirit refuses to accept. If I could not march beside you, it was never because my conscience hesitated."

He continued, "The second was a conscious choice. I did not want the attention to drift away from where it rightly belongs. This is your movement, your voice, your moment of moral courage. You do not need celebrity validation. Democratic movements derive their legitimacy from the courage of those at their centre, not from the visibility of those who stand beside them."

Amol Palekar offers legal, medical and financial supportAssuring the students that his support would continue beyond words, Palekar said he and his wife Sandhya were willing to help in whatever way they could if the need arose.

He wrote, "Please know that distance has never meant detachment. Sandhya and I shall continue to stand with you in every way available to us. Should this struggle require legal support, medical care, or financial assistance within our means, please do not hesitate to reach out."

Ending his letter on an encouraging note, Palekar urged the students to remain compassionate and steadfast despite the challenges they face.

He concluded, "You are not merely the seeds of transformation; you are its first green shoots. Today you may be called students. Tomorrow you will be known as the generation that chose courage over silence. The future belongs to those who refuse to surrender their humanity."

He further added, "Take care of one another. Guard your compassion and your hope. Do not allow anger to harden into hatred. Stand firm. Walk forward without bitterness, without fear, and without apology."