At Jantar Mantar ‘Mann ki Baat‘ became ‘Hamari Mann Ki Baat Suno‘. After all, if only one side gets the microphone every month, for years, the other eventually brings its own or writes it on a placard instead.
The generation on the streets had watched farmers protest. They had watched athletes demand justice. And now it turned to them. It was the students’ turn. For a generation constantly described as the country’s future, they seem to spend a remarkable amount of time fighting for their present.
The Cockroach Janta Party’s protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar may have been organised around one immediate demand: the resignation of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET controversy. But what unfolded on the streets reflected something much bigger.
As speeches continued and conversations unfolded among students and parents, the protest steadily expanded beyond the examination system. For many, NEET became the starting point for expressing frustration with the Union government, and the country’s political leadership.
Voice of Regret, Voice of Frustration
The criticism wasn’t limited to the education minister. Protesters raised slogans against Prime Minister Modi, demanding his resignation as well. Many said the government had repeatedly failed students, not just through NEET but through what they described as its silence whenever young people demanded answers.
One of the most emotional moments came from the parent of a student who died by suicide. They said they regretted voting for the present government.
It was a deeply personal statement that resonated across the crowd.
The internet still remembers those old exam-season tweets. The protesters clearly do too. Speakers and placards also pointed to the Prime Minister’s old tweets about youngsters, students and examinations. They questioned why someone who once had a message for every exam season had remained silent during one of the biggest student-led protests in recent years. He also forgot to mention about the students’ protest in his latest Mann Ki Baat too.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also came under criticism, with protesters accusing the police of using force against students.
Now, question the government and patriotism suddenly becomes debatable. For many, dissent today seemed to come with a label- “anti-national” before it comes with an answer.
But the protest wasn’t all anger. It spoke the language young people know best: memes, satire and pop culture. Modi’s “Melodi” friendship with Giorgia Meloni became a running joke. Adani and Ambani appeared in cartoons and placards. Actually, this humour wasn’t diluting the politics. It was delivering it. And protesters proved that a placard and a meme template often travel better than a press release.
Friends!
Perhaps that’s where the biggest shift was visible.
For years, Narendra Modi was seen as a politician who understood social media better than most. That advantage has faded. His recent attempt- the selfie-style video addressing students hence quickly became a meme material. The same internet culture that once helped shape his image is now being used to question it.
Reports that ministers were later asked to become more active on Instagram only reinforced what many protesters believed: the focus appeared to be on repairing communication before addressing the underlying concerns. What a strategy!
Modi was late in understanding the youth. Now, he is behind the algorithm again, for vote youth ki trust chori, “Friends”!
Don’t let the journey stop here. Keep exploring with Ivide Live. Dive into our latest pieces on what’s happening around and all things life—from relationships and health to psychology.
Discover more from Ivide LIVE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Pingback: മോദിയുടെ ‘Hai Friends’ രാഷ്ട്രീയം: ജെൻ സിയെ ലക്ഷ്യമിടുന്ന പുതിയ രാഷ്ട്രീയ ബ്രാൻഡിങ് | Modi Gen Z Political Communication | Social