India's Modi says punishing student protesters will not resolve situation
Modi said punitive court action would not solve the NEET protest dispute and urged society to guide young demonstrators instead.
- On Friday, July 31, 2026, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a video message urging forgiveness for student protesters who used abusive language against him and his late mother, describing them as "misguided children."
- Led by the Cockroach Janta Party, demonstrations at Jantar Mantar began July 20 over alleged NEET examination irregularities, escalating into a major political crisis that forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
- Authorities filed FIRs against demonstrators, including 25-year-old Ruchika Singh, while police requested that Meta and X remove content described as "derogatory, malicious and defamatory" targeting the Prime Minister.
- Reacting to the message, the Congress party stated on Saturday that Modi had "forgiven the country" rather than apologizing, while opposition leaders condemned the alleged "misuse of criminal machinery" against youth.
- Youth protests subsided by August 1, 2026, after the government accepted demands including exam system reforms, and officials introduced legislation in Parliament to impose stricter penalties for examination malpractice.
69 Articles
69 Articles
In a video posted on his Instagram account, Narendra Modi says he forgives the Indian youth who have been protesting against his government since May.
The statements emerged after the online party Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) mobilized major protests in New Delhi and other cities due to the leak of exam evidence, representing the biggest challenge to the Modi government in recent years. According to reports from the local media, some protesters who appear in widely publicized videos shouting insults against the Prime Minister have suffered online abuse by Modi supporters, in addition to having …
India's Modi 'forgives' protestors who insulted him; teen apologises after online hate
Modi claimed that taking children to court would not help change the situation; he also claimed that it is a cultural shock that 'our daughters use this kind of language'
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