Mumbai: She is neither a student preparing for competitive examinations nor someone directly affected by the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.Yet Rhiya, the Mumbai actor-model whose image of standing in front of a police van during Wednesday’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest went viral, says she felt compelled to take to the streets because she believed the alleged police action against protesting students in Delhi was “wrong” and that someone had to take responsibility.The image of Rhiya, dressed in a grey hoodie with her arms outstretched in front of a police van carrying detained protesters, became one of the defining visuals of Mumbai’s solidarity protests as heavy rain lashed the city.The demonstration was part of protests held across Mumbai in support of the CJP agitation over alleged examination irregularities and the police crackdown during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in Delhi.Explaining why she joined the protest despite not being personally connected to the issues being raised, Rhiya said the alleged treatment of students in the national capital had disturbed her.“While the police are doing their job, they are not doing it responsibly. If no one is taking responsibility, we will take responsibility for our citizens,” she told local reporters.She stressed that she was not directly affected by the issues at the centre of the agitation.“I am not a student, my father is not a farmer, nor am I. I am not a Dalit or belong to the OBC community, but what they did to the students (in Delhi) is wrong. They have to own up to their actions,” she said.Questioning the government’s response to the agitation, Rhiya asked why Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan could not meet the protesters if they were not being allowed to march to Parliament.The viral protest image also drew attention to Rhiya herself. According to her Instagram profile, she is an actor, model and entrepreneur with around one lakh followers on the platform.She has featured in music videos, including Dilbara.Her remarks came as political parties, activists and students staged protests across Mumbai for the third consecutive day, condemning the alleged police action against protesters in Delhi and demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities.Mumbai Police have registered multiple FIRs in connection with the demonstrations, while prohibitory orders remain in force across the city.As demonstrations spread beyond Delhi, several videos from the city’s protests went viral, capturing dramatic scenes of protesters confronting police, freeing detained demonstrators and receiving support from local residents.As the CJP protest over alleged examination irregularities continued in Delhi, youngsters took to the streets of Mumbai on Wednesday in solidarity, condemning the alleged police brutality against protesters during the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.In one widely shared video, the woman, dressed in a grey hoodie, is seen standing in front of a police van carrying detained protesters, refusing to move despite heavy rain.Fellow demonstrators surrounded the vehicle, raising slogans that brought traffic on the busy road to a halt.Speaking to local reporters, she said, “While the police are doing their job, they are not doing it responsibly.If no one is taking responsibility, we will take responsibility for our citizens.”“I am not a student, my father is not a farmer, nor am I. I am not a Dalit or belong to the OBC community, but what they did to the students (in Delhi) is wrong. They have to own up to their actions,” she said.She also questioned why, if protesters were not allowed to march to Parliament, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan could not meet them at the protest site.The woman, identified as Rhiya, is an actor, model, and an entrepreneur, as per her Instagram bio. She has around a lakh followers on Instagram and has been seen in music videos.She featured in the video song ‘Dilbara’.Another video from the protests also went viral, showing a group of youngsters running behind a police van and opening its rear door from the outside, allowing detained protesters to step out of the moving vehicle.Mumbai Police have registered 13 FIRs since July 18 in connection with the ongoing protests, booking around 400 people on charges including unlawful assembly and violation of prohibitory orders.According to police, demonstrations were held at several locations, including Shivaji Park, Chaityabhoomi, Chembur and Shiv Sena Bhavan, despite no permission having been granted for the gatherings.Social media also highlighted several heart-warming moments from the protests.One widely circulated video showed demonstrators marching through the rain while senior citizens cheered them from the balconies of nearby chawls.Another clip, reportedly filmed in Dadar, showed a large crowd of protesters respectfully making way for children heading towards a school bus.Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have imposed prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more people in public places from July 23 to August 6, citing apprehensions of breach of peace and disturbance to public tranquillity.(With PTI inputs)
