Veteran actor Shabana Azmi reportedly fell ill during a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Monday while participating in a demonstration in support of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The incident came a day after the actor had visited the protest site to express solidarity with the ongoing agitation.A video from the venue has since surfaced on social media, showing the 75-year-old actor appearing visibly weak and only partially conscious. In the footage, several people are seen supporting her by holding her hands and escorting her through the crowd.Students at the protest can be heard requesting security personnel to open a gate so that Shabana could be taken to a safer area. After informing the guards about her condition and identity, they were allowed through.The actor was then escorted to a security cabin, where she was helped into a chair. The reason behind her sudden illness has not yet been confirmed.Shabana had first reached Jantar Mantar on Sunday, where she met CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and others participating in the hunger strike. Videos from her visit had also drawn significant attention online. Earlier in the day, before her health scare, Shabana spoke to PTI about the purpose of the protest. She said, “We are here to hold a peaceful protest. This is a right guaranteed by our Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi taught us the path of non-violence. We have no intention of resorting to violence.” The veteran actor also appealed to the media to focus on the core issues rather than the presence or absence of celebrities at the protest. “You are only worried about the fact that Bollywood celebrities are not present at the March. You don’t worry about the absence of industrialist, all the businessmen. When you ask these question, you sidelining the cause and creating unnecessary controversy. You should support those who are marching for this cause, rather than diluting the matter,” she told the media.Shabana is among several well-known personalities who have extended support to the CJP-led movement at Jantar Mantar. Actors Swara Bhaskar, Prakash Raj and Poonam Panday have also reportedly visited the protest site.Several other celebrities have voiced their support on the internet. Sonakshi Sinha recently shared a video related to Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike and urged him to prioritise his health.“Ab dekha nahi jaa raha… dil nahi maan raha… @wangchuksworld Sir… we cant lose you,” she wrote.Shabana had also earlier appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast, saying his presence and guidance remained vital for the students and that he needed to stay healthy for the movement to continue.
