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Agence France-Presse

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wanted to “forgive” protesters who abused him during recent youth-led demonstrations that dealt a rare political setback to his government.
The remarks came after the online Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) mobilised large protests in New Delhi and other cities over examination paper leaks, posing the biggest challenge to Modi’s government in recent years.
Some protesters featured in widely circulated videos shouting insults at the prime minister have since faced online abuse from Modi supporters as well as police complaints, according to local media reports.
Police have also asked social media platforms, including Meta and X, to take down what they described as abusive and manipulated content targeting the premier.

“The country and the world witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous youngsters hurled vile abuses,” Modi, 75, said in a video posted on Instagram late on Friday.
“Words were used that do not belong to civilised society – directed not just at me, but even at my late mother … I want to forgive them.”
Modi also said “mistakes made in youth” should be corrected through guidance rather than legal action, referring to the police cases.
The protests that began last month were initially sparked by anger over examination paper leaks.


But they broadened into a wider expression of frustration over unemployment and governance, culminating in the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Since the protests began, Modi has increasingly used Instagram – the platform on which the CJP built much of its support – to communicate directly with youngsters.
Modi’s ruling party has 9.6 million Instagram followers, while the CJP, launched only in May, has more than 26 million.


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India

India’s Modi wants to forgive CJP protesters who hurled ‘vile abuse’ at him

A CJP supporter holds a poster showing an altered image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on July 25. Photo: AFP

A protester holds a placard with a portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a sari in New Delhi on July 23. Photo: AP

A man holds an image depicting US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest in New Delhi on July 24. Photo: Reuters

CJP supporters wear masks of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a protest on July 25. Photo: Reuters

From marches to memes: why India’s youth turned against Modi

Supporters of the youth-led satirical political movement CJP take part in a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: EPA

CJP founder and President Abhijeet Dipke takes part in a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: EPA

CJP supporters enter a metro station after celebrating the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

CJP protesters hold up posters during a rally in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: EPA

India’s ‘cockroach’ protests reveal a deeper social mobility crisis

A child holds a placard during a gathering in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party to celebrate the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in Mumbai on July 26. Photo: AFP

A man holds a placard during a victory gathering organised by the All India Students’ Association in Bengaluru on July 26, a day after the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities. Photo: AFP

India’s education minister quits in major win for youth protesters

Indian Youth Congress party workers hold placards of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during a protest against the National Testing Agency over alleged exam irregularities in Mumbai on June 2, Photo: AFP

Cockroach Janta Party supporters celebrate the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: AFP

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi in 2023. Pradhan quit on Saturday after countrywide protests demanding he resign ‌to take responsibility for examination paper leaks. Photo: AFP

India’s ‘cockroach’ protests: a rare political opening for the opposition?

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi is detained by police during a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, demanding accountability for police action against students, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Police detain demonstrators during a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (front left), opposition leader Rahul Gandhi (centre) and fellow lawmakers during a protest march and sit-in near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

A supporter of India’s Cockroach Janta Party, while wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, holds a piece of paper with a message, in Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

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The prime minister calls the insults directed at him and his late mother ‘mistakes made in youth’ that require guidance, not legal action


The prime minister calls the insults directed at him and his late mother ‘mistakes made in youth’ that require guidance, not legal action.


India’s Modi wants to forgive CJP protesters who hurled ‘vile abuse’ at him

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The prime minister calls the insults directed at him and his late mother ‘mistakes made in youth’ that require guidance, not legal action

The prime minister calls the insults directed at him and his late mother ‘mistakes made in youth’ that require guidance, not legal action