Summary Azmi said doctors had advised her to remain in isolation and take complete bed rest for five days, preventing her from attending Friday’s protest at Shivaji Park
Veteran Indian actor Shabana Azmi has been diagnosed with swine flu (H1N1) after spending three days with students protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, forcing her to miss a planned demonstration in Mumbai.
In a social media post on Saturday, Azmi said doctors had advised her to remain in isolation and take complete bed rest for five days, preventing her from attending Friday’s protest at Shivaji Park.
“My dear Mumbaikars, I was meant to join your protest yesterday, but I’ve come down with H1N1 and need to remain in isolation for the next five days,” she wrote.
Despite her illness, the actor expressed solidarity with the student movement, saying she continued to receive updates from protesters on the ground.
“I continue to be inspired by your courage and commitment and stand by you in solidarity,” she said, adding that many young participants were experiencing the power of public protest for the first time.
Azmi also shared Naujawan, a poem written by her father, renowned poet Kaifi Azmi, on her social media account in support of the movement.
The H1N1 diagnosis marks the latest health setback for the veteran actor during the protests.
Earlier, she suffered an asthma attack after tear gas was used during one of the demonstrations.
Azmi has been among the first prominent Bollywood figures to openly back the student movement.
She not only voiced support on social media but also joined the Chalo Sansad march in New Delhi, walking alongside thousands of demonstrators heading towards Parliament.
She had previously said that she and her husband, lyricist Javed Akhtar, initially wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the students’ demands.
After receiving no response, she decided to join the protests in person.
The student agitation has gathered momentum in recent weeks following environmentalist and educator Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike, which ended on Thursday after nearly a month.
The protests intensified on July 20, the opening day of Parliament’s monsoon session, when students from across India assembled in New Delhi for the ‘Chalo Sansad march’ organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The protesters are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG examination paper leak, reforms to the education system, compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide and withdrawal of criminal cases against students.
The CJP representatives are scheduled to hold talks with the government later on Saturday in an effort to resolve the impasse.
