NEW DELHI, July 25 (V7N)— Veteran Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi has been diagnosed with swine flu and placed under five-day isolation, forcing her to step back from ongoing student-led demonstrations demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged NEET examination question paper leaks.
The 75-year-old actress, who has been actively participating in protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, was scheduled to join another demonstration at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on Friday. However, her team confirmed that she developed a high fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit and was advised by doctors to take complete rest in isolation.
A statement issued by her team noted that Azmi is currently recovering at home under medical supervision. Despite her physical absence, the actress expressed her continued solidarity with the protesting students via social media, praising their courage and commitment.
Azmi had been at the forefront of the movement, joining a program organized by the 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP) at Jantar Mantar on July 20 to demand systemic educational reforms and accountability for examination irregularities.
During earlier demonstrations, Azmi suffered an asthma attack after police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. Recalling the incident, she shared that she was escorted to a nearby building to recover before returning to meet with students who faced police lathi charges, praising their "extraordinary morale."
The student movement remains steadfast in its core demand for the Education Minister's resignation, with CJP representatives scheduled to engage in a third round of talks with government representatives on Saturday. To maintain public order and prevent mass gatherings, Delhi authorities have heightened security around Jantar Mantar and closed 18 metro stations across the capital.
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