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Actress Akansha Puri has alleged that she was offered money, flight tickets and hotel accommodation to join and support the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, claiming she was also asked to post reels about it.
Speaking to ANI, Puri said she refused the offers and asserted that students participating in the protest should be supported genuinely, adding that their cause should not be treated as a marketing opportunity. "I was offered money to support the CJP and Jantar Mantar protest. They even offered me flight tickets to Jantar Mantar. I was asked to post reels. Many other creators received similar offers too. I refused. Students should be supported genuinely. It is not a marketing opportunity," she said. Puri also urged politicians to extend genuine support to the protesting students and refrain from using their cause for promotion or marketing. "My request to all politicians as well is to not look at this as promotion or marketing content. Support them, listen to what they have to say--that's all they want," she added. The actress said it was disheartening to see young students being lathi-charged and injured during the protest, adding that she felt even worse when she saw people allegedly making content out of their plight. "It feels really bad when you see young children crying, facing lathi charges, getting injured. Seeing all this felt terrible, and when I saw it, people were making content out of it, which made me feel even worse--that you forgot the core issue. They are the future of our country; they are asking for something small, putting their thoughts forward, and what they are saying isn't wrong. They have every right to raise their voice. So please support them," Puri said. On criticism of Bollywood actors for supporting the protest, Puri said there was "nothing to be criticised" as everyone has their own way of extending support. Puri further said that public figures face criticism regardless of how much they support a cause, with some accusing them of creating content when they show support and others alleging that they are doing it for views. "Everyone is supporting in their own way. If someone does a lot, people say, 'You're just creating content.' If someone does even more, people say, 'Look, they're marketing, they want views.' That's also a perspective people hold. So I feel everyone is doing what they can in their own way to promote and support, and as much as possible, people are trying," the actress said. (ANI)
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