‘Why blame anyone? Democracy allows protests’: BJP leader Ram Madhav on Gen Z protests

In an interview with The Indian Express, BJP leader Ram Madhav defended young protesters who gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in July, dismissing attempts to categorize them or assign blame. "Why blame anyone?" Madhav asked, emphasizing that protests are a legitimate means of expressing grievances within a democratic system. He noted that labels such as "Gen Z," "millennials," or "Gillennials" were unproductive, arguing that India's youth often employ various methods to voice their concerns.

The July 20 demonstration at Jantar Mantar, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began peacefully but turned violent following a police crackdown. Protest leaders accused the police of using lathis, tear gas, and even pellet guns, resulting in injuries. The protest was called off on July 25 after the government made assurances regarding some of the protesters' demands, which included replacing the former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and dropping criminal cases against student protesters without prior records.

Pradhan was subsequently replaced by Pralhad Joshi. Madhav reported that the original protesters acknowledged the government's response and subsequently withdrew their call for further demonstrations, expressing satisfaction with the authorities' handling of their demands.