Najeeb Jung writes: This is not the end. They will be back

Najeeb Jung expresses that the end is not yet in sight for the Cockroach movement, stating that they will return. Upon leaving Jantar Mantar after 36 days, the students left a bewildered government and a police force exposed as brutal and unsensitive to their needs. Iqbal's poem echoes in the writer's mind, reminding them that the students are not unworthy of the protesters' attention.

This movement, unlike others led by moral authorities, is decentralized and fueled by a communication-savvy founder, Sonam Wangchuk, rather than a singular leader. The movement's organizational structure relies on social media, campus unions, and Left student federations, making it resilient against a single leader's removal. While India Against Corruption never built a strong institutional foundation, the Cockroach movement's diffuse structure makes it harder for the state to dismantle.

However, the movement faces challenges in negotiating internal disagreements and converting its momentum into lasting institutions. The police's violent response to protests did not yield the expected results, as the government eventually conceded to the movement's demands. Yet, this concession is relatively insignificant compared to the larger issues the movement aims to address, such as systemic exam reform, job creation, and accountability for the crackdown.

The primary difference between movements fueled by scandals and those rooted in structural conditions lies in their durability. The NEET leak served as a trigger for the Cockroach movement, but its underlying causes include a job market that cannot absorb graduates, a corrupt examination and recruitment system, and a rural unemployment crisis.

The movement's name reflects a larger issue that generations have long suspected - the discounting of merit in favor of proximity to power and capital. Despite lacking central leadership, the movement has performed better than expected, given its decentralized structure. However, sustaining pressure on structural conditions over time is a different challenge and one that the movement has yet to demonstrate.

The government's current strategy of using brute force is unlikely to be effective, and appointing a committee that the protesters find unappealing is not a solution. Instead, the government should return to the drawing board and address the root causes of the movement. The odds currently favor the youth, but the government must devise a plan to handle the discontent of the future generation effectively.