The voice of India's youth cannot be silenced
The author (center) with protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
As the ongoing Cockroach Movement in Delhi gathers momentum, it is no longer just students taking part. People from all walks of life have now joined the protest. Advocate Sunny Jadhav, a lawyer at the Supreme Court of India, is among those participating. He shares his firsthand experience of the unprecedented mass gathering with readers of Agamir Somoy.
The protest led by CJP and Sonam Wangchuk began earlier this month, and the response from the people has been nothing short of extraordinary. Thousands of citizens from across the country have come together in support of a single demand, which is accountability.
Alongside Sonam Wangchuk, several students from the University of Delhi, including Comrade Neha, Comrade Manish, and many others, sat on an indefinite hunger strike. The founder of CJP, Mr. Abhijeet Dipke, demanded accountability from the Union Education Minister and the Government of India. The central demand of this movement has been clear, the resignation of the Education Minister, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan.
After the Emergency and the Anna Hazare movement, India is witnessing a different kind of people's movement. This is not merely another protest; it has evolved into a nationwide awakening. It has united people across political ideologies, castes, classes, religions, and regions. It has rightly earned the name of the ’Gen Z Protest’, echoing the spirit of youth-led democratic movements seen across South Asia.
As the movement gathered momentum, so did the pressure on the Government. Every passing day saw larger crowds assembling at Jantar Mantar. The movement refused to slow down.
Then came a turning point.
The Government allegedly made a grave mistake by forcibly detaining Sonam Wangchuk in a hospital. What may have been intended to weaken the movement instead strengthened it. Civil society responded with greater determination. Many people saw the detention as a violation of constitutional rights. Rather than discouraging the youth, it inspired thousands more to join the movement.
Young Indians from every corner of the country began marching towards Delhi. Soon, the historic slogan of India's freedom struggle, ’Chalo Delhi!’ once again echoed across the nation.
On 21 July, thousands of young people, women and men alike, marched towards the Parliament of India. As the march progressed, it was met with tear gas and lathi charges by the Delhi Police. Yet the courage of the youth remained unbroken.
The streets of Delhi resonated with powerful slogans,
’Bharat Mata Ki Jai!’
’Jai Bhim!’
’Inquilab Zindabad!’
These were not merely slogans, they were expressions of hope, constitutional values, and democratic conviction.
While Parliament was in session, many protesters believed that the voice of democratic dissent was being suppressed on the streets outside. Yet the movement did not end there. Even today, the protest at Jantar Mantar continues with the same determination and the same demand.
Some compare this movement with the youth-led protests in Nepal or Sri Lanka. But they fail to understand one fundamental difference.
The youth of India have chosen the path of Mahatma Gandhi, the path of Satyagraha. They have chosen the constitutional path shown by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Their struggle is not rooted in violence; it is rooted in peaceful resistance. They are not asking for chaos; they are asking for accountability. They are not challenging the Constitution; they are exercising the rights guaranteed by it.
The right to dissent is not the enemy of democracy.
It is the very foundation of democracy.
I wish to remind the Hon'ble Prime Minister of the legacy of the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He is remembered not only as a respected Prime Minister but also as one of India's greatest Opposition leaders. Throughout much of his political life, he fearlessly questioned governments led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. His criticism was sharp, yet his patriotism was never questioned.
Today, we proudly carry forward that democratic tradition.
Not through violence, but through non-violence.
Not through hatred, but through love.
Not through confrontation, but through dialogue.
Because there can be no democracy without dialogue.
Therefore, I respectfully appeal to the Hon'ble Prime Minister to initiate a dialogue with CJP and Sonam Wangchuk and seek a peaceful resolution in the interest of education, in the interest of the youth, and in the interest of the nation.
I conclude with a message that every democrat should remember:
Governments will come. Governments will go.
Political parties will rise. Political parties will fall.
But democracy must endure forever.
"Sarkārein āyengī, sarkārein jāyengī, lekin yeh Loktantra rehna chāhiye."
Writer: Lawyer of Supreme Court of India
