Singer Sonu Nigam recently attended an event and he was asked about the protests over NEET paper leak. However, the singer chose to not comment over the protests. A brief video from a media interaction has circulated widely online, triggering a debate over whether the singer should have responded to questions on the issue.In the viral clip, journalists ask Sonu for his views on the student-led protests. He declines to answer, indicating that he is not there to discuss the matter. As reporters continue pressing him, he appears visibly annoyed and says, “Abhi ho gaya, bas,” before ending the interaction.It is not yet known where or during which event the exchange took place. Many social media users criticised the singer for remaining silent, especially as several actors, musicians and other public figures have publicly expressed solidarity with the protesting students.One user wrote, “Shameless, talent doesn’t necessarily turn you into a good human being.” Another questioned the silence of celebrities on public issues, writing, “Spineless so-called celebrities have zero contribution when it comes to supporting a genuine cause or standing up for our students’ plight or nation-building.”At the same time, others defended Sonu, arguing that celebrities should not be expected to comment on every politically sensitive issue. One user suggested that the singer may be wary of speaking out because of past controversies that affected his career.“Can’t blame him. He was boycotted by Bollywood before he started tweeting about Azaan, then his career revived. Now, he needs to walk on eggshells if he has to speak about anything. His bread and butter is always on the line,” the post read.So far, Sonu has not released any statement on his social media platforms regarding the protests. While Sonu chose to stay away from the debate, several members of the film and music industry have openly voiced support for the student movement. Salman Khan, Anupam Kher, Sonakshi Sinha, Riteish Deshmukh and Aditi Rao Hydari are among those who have shared messages backing the protesters.Earlier this week, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj and rapper Hanumankind participated in the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in New Delhi. The demonstration later saw police action, including a lathi charge and the use of tear gas. In Mumbai, Huma Qureshi, Saqib Saleem, Ayesha Khan and Shalini Pandey also joined students taking part in the protests.The agitation began over allegations of irregularities in the NEET examination and has since expanded to multiple cities across the country. Protesters are demanding accountability and calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
