Neha Bhasin slams Bhumi Pednekar over NEET protest remarks: ‘Chup rehna best hai’

Neha Bhasin questions Bhumi Pednekar’s stance

Sharing her views on social media, Neha Bhasin said she would have respected the Prime Minister more if there had been equal concern over the conduct of police personnel during the protests.

“I would have really respected our dear PM more if there was calling out of police for openly, inappropriately touching women during the protests as he is offended by the use of gaalis. He himself said these are kids. But the police is appointed to protect and abide by the law. So why is there no accountability there.”

She also took a swipe at Bhumi, writing, “Bhumi Pednekar Lock Upp pe bhi scripted thi aur protests ko lekar bhi. Gooda nahi hai toh chup rehna best hai behen (She was scripted in Lock Upp and also about the protests. Sometimes its best to keep your mouth shut).”

 

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A post shared by Neha Bhasin (NB) (@nehabhasin4u)

Bhumi had recently appeared on the Judgment Day episode of Lock Upp alongside Huma Qureshi as Janta Ki Awaaz. The reality show is hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh.

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Dia Mirza backs criticism of Bhumi

Actor Dia Mirza also appeared to support a social media post critical of Bhumi’s remarks. Stressing that the larger issues surrounding the protests should not be overshadowed, Dia wrote: “The last thing we should be doing is feeding into deflection. I hope every actor making the time to speak about language would equally and emphatically question police brutality, women and girls being doxxed and harassed online whenever we express dissent. Illegal FIRs against underage girls are not going to improve our culture.”

Actor Saba Azad also reacted to the same post, joining the growing discussion on social media.

What Bhumi Pednekar said

The controversy began after Bhumi shared a video expressing concern over the abusive slogans directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the protests. While acknowledging the right to express anger, she said the manner of expression did not reflect India’s values.

“Looking at the videos surfacing now, the kind of language being used, and the way the youth of our country are speaking — the youth of our country… this isn’t how we talk, man. We are talking about someone who holds the highest office in the land today. And it’s not just about the office; would we ever speak like this to the elders in our own homes? Can we really resort to using abusive language?”

 

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A post shared by Bhumi Satish Pednekkar (@bhumisatishpednekkar)

She further added, “Guys, this isn’t our culture; it’s wrong, and this really bothered me — that’s why I wanted to come forward and address this: a country will only progress and move forward when, collectively and unitedly, we discuss our flaws as well as the good things. Our culture and value system form our backbone; we shouldn’t stray from them, otherwise, we won’t be able to communicate the right things in the right way, and they will never be implemented or lead to change.”

Why Bhumi’s comments drew backlash

Bhumi’s remarks came amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The CJP-led agitation began over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak but soon evolved into a nationwide youth movement demanding accountability and sweeping education reforms.

The protests reached a flashpoint on July 20, when police used batons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators marching towards Parliament sparking widespread outrage. Five days later, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. Throughout the demonstrations, videos of a section of protesters using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi also circulated widely online.

PM Modi responded with a video message, saying that “abuses never solve anything” and that he wanted to forgive the “misguided children” rather than punish them.

Bhumi Pednekar later condemned the abusive language used against the Prime Minister, drawing criticism from many who felt she had not addressed the alleged police brutality and reports of women protesters being harassed during the July 20 crackdown.