Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee urged young people to critically assess celebrities, influencers and sports personalities who remained silent during the student protests over alleged exam irregularities, saying public support should go to those who stand with people during crises<\/p>\n
Published Date – 26 July 2026, 04:16 PM <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Kolkata:<\/strong> Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday appealed to youths to be more discerning in supporting celebrities, influencers and sports icons, saying those who remain silent on issues of public concern should not be celebrated uncritically.<\/p>\n In a post on his official WhatsApp channel, the Diamond Harbour MP said recent events demonstrated the power of young people to challenge even the most powerful governments, asserting that the strength of a democracy ultimately rests with its citizens. Banerjee further said that remaining silent in times of crisis amounted to taking a position.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen history calls for courage, silence is never neutral \u2014 it is a choice,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause if they cannot stand with us when it matters most, why should we continue to stand behind them?\u201d His remarks came against the backdrop of Dharmendra Pradhan\u2019s resignation as Union education minister over irregularities in the exam system and the NEET paper leak, which galvanised thousands of students in an unprecedented protest spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have seen how a determined generation of young people can bring even the most powerful governments to their knees. It is a reminder that the real strength of any democracy lies in the power of its people,\u201d Banerjee said.<\/p>\n Without naming any individual, he criticised celebrities, influencers, sportspersons and film personalities for being silent about the students\u2019 protest against exam irregularities.<\/p>\n \u201cMany celebrities, influencers, sports icons and movie stars chose to remain silent instead of standing with the youth and students of this country. Whether out of fear, caution, or self-interest, their silence spoke volumes,\u201d Banerjee said.<\/p>\n Calling on young people to make conscious choices, the MP said youths should evaluate whether public personalities uphold the values they claim to represent.<\/p>\n \u201cThe next time we stand in a queue to buy a movie ticket, a match ticket or subscribe to a content creator, let us pause for a moment and ask ourselves: Does this person truly represent the values I believe in? Have they stood by the people who made their success possible?\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n Banerjee argued that public support, whether through ticket purchases or engagement on social media, amounted to an endorsement of those personalities.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery ticket you buy. Every view you give. Every like, share, follow and cheer \u2014 they are not just clicks or purchases, they are endorsements. Spend your attention as carefully as you spend your money.\u201d Maintaining that people have the power to decide whom to elevate, the Diamond Harbour MP said, \u201cWho we follow is our choice. Who we celebrate is our choice. Who we make famous is our choice.\u201d He also underlined the role that ordinary people, particularly the youth, play in shaping the success of public figures.<\/p>\n \u201cThe audience gave them fame. People gave them influence. Youths gave them relevance.\u201d He concluded the post with the hashtags \u2018NEET\u2019 and \u2018StudentsProtest\u2019, linking his appeal to issues concerning students and youth.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source telanganatoday.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee urged young people to critically assess celebrities, influencers and sports personalities who remained silent during the student protests over alleged exam irregularities, saying public support should go to those who stand with people during crises Published Date – 26 July 2026, 04:16 PM
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