The Anthems of Resistance: From the Streets of Delhi to Social Media Feeds

“Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai,
Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mein hai”

The words echoed through the streets of Delhi as Neha Bora led protesters in a powerful chorus, drawing senior lawyers and demonstrators into a collective act of defiance. Even those unfamiliar with this century-old Urdu poem could feel the force of its words.

This has its strong roots to the freedom struggle against British raj. Now, the scene recreates itself against the “Modiraj”.

The current scenarios and the parallels with India’s past are difficult to ignore. The protests of today evoke memories of the freedom struggle and, the Emergency of the 1970s. And in a country where non-violent resistance has a long and complex history, words can become a powerful instrument of dissent.

Here are a few songs that the protesters in Delhi hold close as they move forward.

सरफ़रोशी की तमन्ना अब हमारे दिल में है
देखना है ज़ोर कितना बाज़ू-ए-क़ातिल में है

Written in 1921 by Urdu poet Bismil Azimabadi and popularised by freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil, the poem translates to “The desire for revolution is in our hearts; let us see how much strength the executioner’s arm holds.” It was originally penned to challenge British colonial oppression. Decades later, it remains the ultimate anthem for the youth challenging power on the streets.

हम देखेंगे
लाज़िम है कि हम भी देखेंगे
वो दिन कि जिसका वादा है
जो लोह-ए-अज़ल में लिखा है

These lines are from a recitation of an Urdu nazm (poem) by the leftist poet and revolutionary Faiz Ahmad Faiz in 1979. The poem translates to “It is set in stone—that we will see a day whose promise is written on the eternal wall.” Commonly known as “Hum Dekhenge,” literally meaning “We Shall See,” the poem probably gained more popularity among the youth as a soulful song when it was included in The Kashmir Files and Coke Studio. It became an increasingly relatable song and reverberated through the streets of Delhi during the CAA protests, too.

हम रुकने वाले नहीं, हम झुकने वाले नहीं।
अंधेरों से लड़कर हम, उजाले लाने वाले यहीं।

Penned and sung by Mahesh Agarwal, “Hum Rukne Wale Nahin” is a Hindi motivational and patriotic song that is popular in reels and videos on social media. The song is all about resilience, hard work, and never giving up. The literal translation of some of the lines is: “We are not going to stop, we are not going to bow down…”

अंगेना गात्रम नयनेन वक्रतम न्यानेन राज्यम लवनेन भोज्यम।
धर्मेना हीनं खालू जीवितं चा न राजते चंद्रमासा बिना निशा

These lines are recited and played in “Lavanena Bhojyam,” an Indian pop song by Mr. Hapee and Tanya X. Built around an ancient Sanskrit shloka, the verse highlights how a nation lacks splendour without an effective judiciary, just as cooked food is incomplete without salt or a dark night is incomplete without the moon.

आजादी
भुखमारी से, आजादी
हाँ भेद भाव से, आजादी
हाँ पक्षवाद से, आजादी
हम लेके रहेंगे, आजादी
तुम कुछ भी कर लो, आजादी

This punchy song from the movie Gully Boy samples historic Indian student protest slogans. Meaning “freedom,” Azaadi serves as a modern beat calling for freedom from starvation, discrimination, and partisanship, asserting that this freedom will be secured no matter what is done.

सद्दा हक़, एथे रख सद्दा हक़, एथे रख
सद्दा हक़, एथे रख सद्दा हक़, एथे रख

This track from the Bollywood movie Rockstar translates to “Our right… keep it here”, a Punjabi phrase that idiomatically means “Give us our rights, right here and now.” Driven by aggressive, high-energy vocals, it becomes a loud, unapologetic demand for constitutional and youth rights. It represents a rebellion against societal control and a reclamation of identity.

All I want to say is that they don’t really care about us
All I want to say is that they don’t really care about us

This Michael Jackson track has its place as an anthem in protests across the globe. “They Don’t Really Care About Us” explicitly addresses police brutality, social injustice, and systemic oppression. Here, “they” refers to corrupt governments, the legal system, elite structures, and societal enforcers who ignore human suffering. “Us” represents people fighting against prejudice and state neglect.

നിരതം സമരം കാലനിയോഗം जागो जागो यारो सर्वदा
Jana Gana… Jana Gana Mana Jana Gana… Jana Gana Mana
നിയതം സകലം കർമ്മനിബദ്ധം आगे-आगे तू ये कर दिखा

This song from the Malayalam political thriller Jana Gana Mana is a common, punchy background track among Malayalis for impactful protest videos. Rooted in themes of constitutional justice, equality, and civic duty, the song weaves together Hindi, Sanskrit, and Bengali lyrics. The gist of its meaning is an urgent call to action and constant mindfulness in the face of life’s relentless nature.

जागो…..

This word alone, from the electronic track by Lifafa, features the resonant call “Jaago”, which means “Awaken.” It evokes a sense of collective awakening and youth awareness in a calm but alerting way.

These words carry more than rhythm. They carry memory, defiance, and, even the weight of struggles that came before.

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