New Delhi: Calling the paper leak a serious issue, Salman Khan on Wednesday backed the protesting students and said his heart went out to those who were hurt while demonstrating peacefully.
The Bollywood star praised the students, saying they had shown dedication, sincerity and a commitment to study hard for their own futures and for a more educated India.
"It was such a peaceful movement, feel so sad that it had to take a violent turn. My heart goes out to the students and their families who were hurt. Paper leak is a very serious issue, and I am glad to know and see that the kids of our country have come together for a better educational system, and their parents supported them," the actor wrote in a carefully-worded post on X.
He, however, said the protests should not be "hijacked politically".
"This andolan, this protest, is the right way to go about it, and the students have done this peacefully. So courageous and brave. Driven and motivated towards education, this generation will make India proud.
"This issue is between the students and the educational system, it should not be hijacked politically, the credit should only go to the students of our country, and I am sure the government will also give them all the support and make a stronger educational system. It's a win-win situation. Hoping and praying for a positive decision," he wrote.
The actor said education should get trendier and more fashionable so that India becomes an education hub.
The student protests over the alleged NEET paper leak have found support from many in the film industry, including Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Rajkummar Rao, Revathy, Tovino Thomas and Anurag Kashyap.
The ‘Sultan’ star, however, is the first from the Khan troika to speak on the issue.
His post came two days after the police crackdown on protesters during the 'Chalo Sansad' march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in various examinations.