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    COVER STORY                                                           AUGUST 14, 2026      |  The Indian Eye                    5

            lization and national political discourse.                                                            fade. Sustaining nationwide mobili-
                For a movement that does not                                                                      zation requires organizational depth,
            hold a single parliamentary seat, that                                                                financial resources, disciplined lead-
            is considerable influence.                                                                            ership and coherent policy positions
                                                                                                                  extending beyond protest slogans.
              Judicial Recognition Matters                                                                            The decision not to enter elec-
                                                                                                                  toral politics may preserve credibility,
                  qually important has been the                                                                   but it also limits formal avenues for
                  judiciary’s response. While
            Ehearing  petitions  related  to                                                                      policy implementation.
                                                                                                                      Furthermore, as the movement
            the protests, the Supreme Court                                                                       broadens its agenda, ideological dif-
            emphasized that counselling and                                                                       ferences within its support base may
            dialogue—not   aggression—should                                                                      become more visible. Citizens united
            guide the state’s response to young                                                                   by anger over examination reforms
            protesters. Chief Justice Surya Kant                                                                  may  not  necessarily  agree  on  wider
            observed that listening remained “the                                                                 political, economic or constitutional
            most powerful tool” for handling stu-                                                                 questions.
            dent movements and cautioned au-                                                                          Managing that diversity will test
            thorities against escalating tensions                                                                 the organization’s leadership.
            through excessive force.
                                                                                                                      There is also the question of pub-
                                                                                                                  lic expectations. Having emerged as a
            The Court did not endorse                                                                             powerful voice for accountability, the
            every aspect of the protests.                                                                         CJP will increasingly be judged not
            It also heard arguments re-                                                                           only by what it opposes but by what
            garding accountability for or-                                                                        it proposes.
            ganizers and violence during                                                                              The emergence of the Cockroach
            demonstrations.                                                                                       Janata Party reflects broader changes
                                                                                                                  in Indian democracy.
                                                                                                                      Young Indians today are more
                Nevertheless, the observations                                                                    connected, politically aware and will-
            carry symbolic importance.                                                                            ing  to  organize  outside  traditional
                India’s highest court effectively                                                                 party structures. Digital platforms
            recognized that youth protests re-                                                                    have  enabled rapid mobilization,
            quire political engagement rather                                                                     while growing concerns over employ-
            than purely coercive responses.                                                                       ment, education and institutional
                That itself represents an import-                                                                 trust have created fertile ground for
            ant institutional intervention.     Prime Minister Narendra Modi shares a video, forgiving the people who allegedly abused   citizen-led movements.
                Prime Minister Narendra Modi    him, coinciding with the derogatory remarks made by a Noida-based female against him   The CJP has successfully tapped
            has increasingly recognized that In-  during the CJP’s protest, in New Delhi on Friday (@narendramodi X/ANI Video Grab)  into that sentiment.
            dia’s political future will be shaped                                                                     Its  significance  lies  not  mere-
            by Generation Z, a demographic    concerns.                                                           ly in the protests it organized but,
            that is entering the workforce, voting   While Modi continues to com-    Opportunities and Risks      in the questions, it has forced India
            rolls and digital economy in unprece-  mand significant appeal among young   espite its rapid rise, the CJP   to confront: How accountable are
            dented numbers. The BJP’s outreach   voters, sustaining that support will   faces  significant  challenges.   democratic institutions? How should
            has therefore expanded beyond tra-  depend less on messaging and more  DMovements built around pub-   governments respond to peaceful
            ditional political messaging to focus   on delivering tangible opportunities   lic anger often struggle to maintain   dissent? Can citizen movements in-
            on issues that resonate with younger   and institutional credibility.  momentum once immediate issues   fluence policy without becoming po-
            Indians, including entrepreneurship,                                                                  litical parties?
            start-ups,  digital  governance,  artifi-                                                                 The answers remain uncertain.
            cial intelligence, gaming,  sports and                                                                    What is already clear, however, is
            innovation.                                                                                           that the CJP has altered India’s polit-
                Modi’s regular interactions with                                                                  ical conversation. It has demonstrat-
            students through initiatives such as                                                                  ed that issue-based citizen mobiliza-
            Pariksha Pe Charcha, his active pres-                                                                 tion can still shape national debate,
            ence on social media platforms, pod-                                                                  influence  parliamentary  politics  and
            cast appearances and emphasis on                                                                      attract judicial attention without con-
            India’s technology ecosystem are all                                                                  testing a single election.
            aimed at projecting an image of a lead-                                                                   Whether it ultimately becomes
            er who understands youthful aspira-                                                                   a transformative democratic move-
            tions. Government schemes promot-                                                                     ment or another short-lived protest
            ing  start-ups,  skill  development  and                                                              organization will depend on its ability
            digital payments have also been pack-                                                                 to  convert  public  emotion  into  sus-
            aged  to  appeal  to  first-time  voters.                                                             tained civic engagement.
                However, the strategy faces                                                                           For now, its greatest impact has
            growing challenges as issues such as                                                                  been to remind India’s political es-
            examination paper leaks, unemploy-  Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Rajya Sabha LoP   tablishment that organized citizens
            ment and rising educational compe-  Mallikarjun Kharge and other opposition MPs March in protest during the Monsoon Session  remain one of democracy’s most
            tition increasingly dominate Gen Z                                                                    powerful forces.

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