Actor Imran Khan took part in a protest in Mumbai on Wednesday to stand in solidarity with students demonstrating over the alleged NEET paper leak and other exam-related irregularities. His participation came a day after he strongly criticized the reported police action against protesters during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in Delhi.During the protest in Mumbai, Imran was asked how he would respond to actors who chose to stay away from political discussions, arguing that art and politics should remain separate. The question was asked by an aspiring actor who attended the march.Responding strongly, Imran rejected the idea that an artist can separate their work from their personal beliefs. “True art has an individual point of view of the artist embedded within it, and as part of our human nature, we have opinions and views that we hold true to ourselves. If you cannot stand by your opinions and if you do not pour your own heart into your art, your art is worthless.”His comments come at a time when many celebrities have remained silent on the student movement, while others have openly supported the protests through public appearances and statements on social media.Earlier, after videos from demonstrations in Delhi surfaced online, Imran shared an emotional statement expressing his dismay at reports of students being subjected to tear gas and a lathi-charge by the police.“Something broke in me today. Watching as the police gassed and beat the protesting students … how can I understand this? These students who are working hard, are just being failed by the system. These people who are asking to be heard, are just being met with silence. These citizens who stood up to show what is important to them … were beaten and rejected by the establishment,” he wrote.Questioning the treatment of the protesters, he further wrote, “Aren’t these the children of Mother India? If not them, for whom are we building, and whose future do we claim to protect?”Imran also criticized those who expect students to be more organized while, according to him, failing to demand the same level of accountability from institutions and those in positions of authority.The movement led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has been going on for almost a month now, with protesters seeking accountability for the alleged NEET paper leak and demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister. Dharmendra Pradhan.Activist Sonam Wangchuk also joined the agitation and is reportedly on the 26th day of her hunger strike. Earlier this week, students attempted to march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament as part of the ‘Chalo Sansad’ campaign.