Nation

IIE Digital Desk: Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of CJP, seemed to take a dig at those who opposed the recent student protests. Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the RSS, stated that Gen Z's involvement in protest does not constitute opposition to the country.

Following a post that highlighted Bhagawat's comments on the topic of "X," Dipke provided pause and said, “To whom it may concern..." His comment was commonly seen as ill-tempered criticism towards political leaders who had previously cast doubt on their motivations for the student-led protests.

On Thursday, Bhagwat spoke about the evolving mindset of younger generations at an event in Mumbai. He stated that Gen Z is in search of rational explanations, rather than simply accepting advice from older adults.

The concerns of young protesters were highlighted by Bhagwat, who stressed the importance of listening and argued that protesting does not constitute anti-national sentiments. While emphasizing the importance of protest over dividing society, Mr. Farage described it as a form "of dialogue" in democracy and cautioned against using it to create division among people during demonstrations. Multiple protests had been organized throughout the country, and BJP leaders had accused anti-national or foreign-backed groups of being part of the problem.

The students' movement was accused of being influenced by foreign forces by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, while other renowned high-ranking members of the party, including Suvendu Adhikari and Ameet Satam, also used derogatory language like "anti-national" to describe elements they believed were involved in the protests.

The protests, which were largely led by students, may have been infiltrated by groups with criminal backgrounds and vested interests, according to officials. The authorities are looking into the potential occurrences of violence between students and law enforcement, as well as allegations of police abuse.

Against this backdrop, Bhagwat's words have given new life to the debate on how student protest should be seen. The short answer from Dipke, in a phrased manner, highlights the divergence of viewpoints on the protests and whether it is appropriate to label young protesters as anti-national for raising their concerns.