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.(With PTI inputs)
