India’s Modi says he forgives students who abused him in Cockroach protests | Narendra Modi News
New Delhi, India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed recent protests by students, describing them as “misled children” who should be guided toward “the right path” rather than faced with legal repercussions. His comments follow heightened tensions in the wake of a significant political crisis fueled by the youth-led Cockroach protest movement.
The movement began in May after the cancellation of a critical exam, forcing over two million students to retake it the following month due to leaked questions. The protesters, who labeled themselves the Cockroach Janta Party, drew their name from a remark by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who referred to unemployed youth and activists as “cockroaches.” What started as a social media campaign advocating for educational reform quickly evolved into a large-scale protest, mobilizing tens of thousands of supporters across New Delhi and inspiring similar actions in other cities.
As a result of the protests, the Modi government agreed to the demonstrators’ demands, including the resignation of the education minister and a commitment not to pursue criminal charges against the participants. However, despite these assurances, authorities in several states governed by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party have initiated legal action against hundreds of protesters after some engaged in clashes with police and directed abusive language at the Prime Minister.
Following these events, some supporters of Modi’s far-right Hindu nationalist agenda have targeted female protesters online, subjecting them to harassment, including threats of violence, while urging law enforcement to take action against them.
In a social media video released late Friday, Modi expressed his desire to forgive the students who directed insults at him during the protests, stating, “Showing them the right path is our duty.” He described the language used against him and his late mother as “disgusting” and lamented that such words could come from young women.
Protests escalated across the country last month, particularly in New Delhi, where demonstrators attempting to approach parliament encountered police using tear gas, pellet shotguns, and batons.
Critics have accused Modi’s government of neglecting the violence faced by students during the protests. Radhika Kumar, a 21-year-old student at Delhi University, remarked, “Modi is mute on the brutality unleashed on students in the capital,” asserting that the government’s supporters have silenced women through online harassment.
The movement reported that “hundreds” of students had been arrested across various states, contradicting the government’s pledge to cease legal actions against the protesters. Opposition parties have called for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah, a close ally of Modi, in response to the crackdown on demonstrators.
Additionally, the protests prompted the Modi administration to propose legislation that would increase prison sentences and fines for those involved in exam paper leaks. In Hyderabad, police have also initiated a legal case against Arun Srinivas, head of Meta India, over videos posted on Facebook that allegedly contain abusive depictions of Modi.
A spokesperson for Meta stated, “We are in touch with the concerned agencies and are cooperating with them to resolve the matter.” Since February, social media platforms have been required to remove unlawful content flagged by the government or courts within three hours, a significant reduction from the previous 36-hour timeline.
