By Rajat Kumar Gupta, Ranchi, 9431172035
Two recent interactions between two prominent figures of India’s ruling establishment and students have been particularly revealing and thought-provoking.
In the first instance, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, while interacting with students at a conference in Mumbai, made it clear that protests are a legitimate form of dialogue. His remarks could well apply to the protests led by the “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP), which eventually forced Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. Bhagwat also said that young people who take to the streets out of genuine grievances should not be branded anti-national.
This assumes significance because “anti-national” has often been used by sections of the saffron ecosystem as a derogatory label to discredit those who dare to dissent. In the backdrop of repeated attempts by functionaries of the Sangh Parivar—including senior RSS leaders—to stigmatise protesters, Bhagwat’s comments acquire considerable importance.
The second significant intervention came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the convocation ceremony of IIT Delhi. He urged students to question everything. That is precisely what India’s youth did during their movement. Yet, instead of being heard, they were subjected to condemnation and, in some cases, police excesses.
The words of both Bhagwat and Modi are certainly welcome. But the timing and tone of these remarks speak volumes.
The manner in which the Union government handled—or, more accurately, mishandled—the CJP-led protests has only deepened the anger and frustration among young people across India. Those in power now appear increasingly concerned that this accumulated resentment could eventually turn into an electoral backlash.
Indeed, Narendra Modi, who has long demonstrated an extraordinary ability to anticipate electoral trends and political reactions, appears to have miscalculated this time. And this is no minor political misjudgment. Its consequences are now beginning to trouble the BJP as a whole.
The party has once again attempted to reconnect with the youth, sensing the changing political mood. But the effort is yet to produce the desired response. The wounds inflicted by statements made by BJP leaders during the earlier protests at Jantar Mantar run too deep to be erased by a few belated gestures.
Bhagwat’s intervention can therefore be seen as a response to the growing anger among India’s youth—but one that has arrived rather late. He has also faced criticism for not doing enough earlier to restrain the government’s arbitrary and harsh approach towards the protests.
Prime Minister Modi’s call to young people to question everything also raises an uncomfortable question: If a young Indian were to ask whether his government has ever genuinely encouraged scrutiny or criticism—whether from Parliament, the press or ordinary citizens—would that question be considered legitimate?
If the Union government had consistently demonstrated openness to dialogue, would protests by students or farmers have had to face batons and coercion? Would protesters have had to endure systematic attempts at humiliation and vilification?
The entire Indian political class—whether in power or in opposition—has suddenly rediscovered the importance of the youth. Naturally, much of this newfound concern is linked to electoral calculations.
But the challenges confronting India’s young people today cannot be addressed through verbal assurances alone. They require concrete policy interventions. The era of offering consolation, slogans and superficial sermons is over.
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Narendra Modi is therefore facing a challenge of a different nature—perhaps one he did not encounter even during his years as Gujarat’s Chief Minister. In his long political career, he has rarely confronted such a broad-based expression of frustration among young people.
During the farmers’ movement too, the initial instinct was to deal with the agitation through the familiar approach of resistance and suppression. The outcome is part of recent political history.
The question now is whether Narendra Modi has stopped learning from his earlier political experiences. The present situation suggests that the lessons of the past may have been forgotten—or at least ignored.
The youth of India are no longer looking merely for speeches, appeals or symbolic gestures. They are demanding answers, accountability and meaningful change.
“Huzoor… you came far too late!”
That is no longer merely a sarcastic remark. It is a warning. In a democracy, dialogue that comes after anger has hardened into distrust may be welcome—but dialogue at the right time is far more valuable.
