Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Gen Z outreach has sparked spirited conversations among students. While a section has welcomed his backing of youngsters, others feel there are issues that still need clear answers.
"Despite belonging to an older generation, Bhagwat spoke about sex, marriage and education with openness. I was happy to hear his support for increasing education spends to 6% of the budget,” said Siddhi Gajjar, a student from Bharuch.
Zareen Khan, a student from Mumbai, also praised Bhagwat, saying it was “good” to see the concerns of young people being raised on a big platform.
"We often do not get the right answers from the government if we ask questions on social media. It was good to see our generation’s concerns being raised on such a big stage, and Mohan Bhagwat answering them openly,” Khan said.
Then there were others who expected more. Hyderabad's Sahitya Netha stressed the importance of fair examinations. "Many important questions on issues like NEET and unemployment needed clearer answers. It is not easy for young graduates to start businesses and compete with large companies."
Silakshi J, another student from Hyderabad, echoed a similar sentiment. “While Mohan Bhagwat said teachers should come before the government in education, I feel their efforts lose value if examination papers keep getting leaked.”
{{/usCountry}}Silakshi J, another student from Hyderabad, echoed a similar sentiment. “While Mohan Bhagwat said teachers should come before the government in education, I feel their efforts lose value if examination papers keep getting leaked.”
{{/usCountry}}Gen Z has become a talking point and an important voice in India after last month's protests over NEET-UG paper leaks that demanded examinsation reforms. Abhijeet Dipke's Cockrocah Janta Party (CJP) launched the protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar—which spread to other parts of the country. The protest ended with the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Bhagwat's Gen Z outreach
On Thursday, the RSS leader spoke with Rishabh Shah, founder of India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) — a youth organisation — at the Annual Championship Conference in Mumbai.
Addressing an audience of around 2,000 students aged between 15 and 19 from across the country, Bhagwat said that the grievances of Gen Z are genuine, and protest is also a form of dialogue.
“Gen Z are our own children. If they protest for an issue, how can they become anti-national? Their concerns should be heard. In a democracy, protest is also a form of dialogue. There is nothing wrong in protesting, but it should not be used to create divisions in society,” he said, acknowledging that improvements were needed in India’s education policy through discussions.
Asked about the use of force on protesters, he said: “I do not know why the lathi-charge happened or whether pellet guns were used. I need to study the facts before giving an opinion. At the same time, he added that if such incidents happened it was important to find out the root cause.
On July 20, the day of the CJP's march to Parliament when the House was in session, clashes broke out, and law enforcement officials resorted to a cane charge and tear gas amid allegations of police excesses. Security officials said the action came after repeated warnings against provocation and aggression.
On the question of reservation, Bhagwat said quotas would be necessary as long as inequality existed in society. “While some communities have benefited from reservation and progressed, others still remain deprived and are now raising their voices for equal opportunities,” Bhagwat said.
He suggested that people who had already benefitted through reservation could consider giving up a part of the benefits for more deprived sections. “Those who benefited already through reservation could consider giving up a part of their benefits for more deprived sections,” Bhagwat said.
He also said those belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community should be accepted as a part of society and even proposed that companionship laws could be an alternative to same-sex marriage.
“Marriage is an institution that helps prepare the next generation to become responsible members of society, and any changes to this system should be made carefully,” he said.
Leaders react to Bhagwat’s statements
Leaders across the political spectrum also reacted to what Bhagwat said during the interaction.
On being asked about his comments on student protests, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi remarked, “Gen Z don't need a certificate from Mohan Bhagwat Ji.”
J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah welcomed Bhagwat’s statements, saying, “the good thing is that Mohan Bhagwat has acknowledged this distinction: opposing the government is not the same as opposing the country.”
“Not a single thing they (students) said was against the country. It may have been against the government, but it was certainly not against the nation. In fact, opposing a government when it is doing something wrong can often be beneficial for the country, because it helps identify mistakes and correct them.”
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that if Bhagwat has any “sincerity” towards students, he should either ask for home minister Amit Shah’s resignation or ask him to come to the Parliament and apologise to the students.
“If RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat ji has any sincerity towards Gen Z, he should ask Amit Shah to resign or ask the Home Minister to come to Parliament and apologise to the students.”