Gen Z want to be ‘lions’ and not cockroaches: ABVP leader

Students belonging to the younger generation, referred to as Generation Z, do not wish to be characterized as "cockroaches" but rather aspire to embody the qualities of "lions," according to Shravan B Raj, the national secretary of the RSS student body's ABVP. Raj made these remarks during the ABVP's Chhatra Udghosh event.

In the past, political entities have perceived student power as an inconvenience; however, ABVP has transformed this viewpoint. Raj asserts that Generation Z accounts for approximately 24% of the world's population and predicts that by 2047, this demographic will serve as India's primary driving force.

During the event announcing the new executive body for ABVP for the 2026-27 academic year, Dhrumil Akhani, the outgoing secretary for the Ahmedabad unit, cautioned against the notion that this youthful population should be manipulated as a tool. He emphasized that young people should not merely be job seekers but should also become job creators.

Raj referenced the ABVP's campaign in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, which supported local weavers in response to automation in the textile industry. This initiative, he believed, represented genuine social transformation. Priyam Bhatiya, the newly appointed Ahmedabad unit secretary, considered himself a "Gen Z worker" and requested that all Gen Z youth recognize that this generation belongs to India and the nation, serving ABVP.

Bhatiya further stated that ABVP aims to expand its presence on campuses, particularly where executive bodies have not yet been established.