This Gen Z will not go down so easily

Those who perpetrated the atrocities on July 20, 2026, especially those who sexually assaulted the women protesters, must be severely and immediately punished under law. If this arrogant government chooses another brutal crackdown, it is going to badly boomerang.

Independent Ink Editorial

The State's brutal action this week against young supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and in cities across the nation starkly illustrates a complete failure and a shocking disregard for the principles of peaceful protest.

In a democracy, public outrage must be confronted with dialogue, not with police and paramilitary forces unleashed to viciously assault its young citizens with batons, tear gas, lathis embedded with nails and electric current, and pellet guns.

The ghastly images that emerged on social media were nothing short of shocking. Young teenage girls, some barely 16 or less, were aggressively manhandled, beaten up, and pushed around by the male police.

Some girls were sexually assaulted and evidence is all over Social Media. A senior police officer was even caught on video striking a girl who could easily be his daughter. The peaceful woman protester walking alone was intentionally slapped by none other than a senior Additional DCP of the Delhi Police. One particular cop, reportedly an SHO, who sexually assaulted a girl with a lathi has also been identified. Their profiles are also on Social Media.

This is outrageous and unacceptable in any civilised democracy. Will the Union Home Minister, who, obviously ordered the nasty police action on peaceful youngsters, now, take any action against these and other rogue cops? Will the higher judiciary take note of the heinous acts of those who were meant to protect the safety of women in the capital of India?

Brave, fearless, passionate young protesters faced abuse and brutal, repeated assaults, as if the authorities had been granted an unchecked licence to act with impunity against peaceful students.

Unsurprisingly, much of this shocking reality was conveniently ignored by mainstream television news channels. Instead, the tens of thousands of youngsters and teenagers were reportedly painted as goons.

The widespread condemnation and outrage—both nationally and internationally—of the appalling police actions highlights the stark hypocrisy of a country that prides itself on being the world’s largest democracy and the land of Gandhi and Buddha. It is imperative that we hold those in power accountable for such egregious violations of civil rights.

The protesters, primarily students and unemployed young men and women from all over the country, had a legitimate primary demand: Dharmendra Pradhan's immediate resignation. As the education minister, his ministry has failed on multiple occasions, thereby, destroying the future academic and job prospects of millions of Indian students. Pradhan presided over this year's NEET competitive exam for medical college admissions, which was cancelled after it was revealed that the question paper had been leaked.

This was not the only botch-up. The CBSE exam for school students was an exposé on how a crucial examination system conducted for an entire generation of school students turned out to be a farce. And, thereby, it ended up as a continuing nightmare for our school students all over the country. The list of goof-ups have since grown.

If the education minister will not be held responsible, who will? Instead, he seems to be shamelessly devoid of any concern or responsibility. Besides, he has the gall to brand the students as “B-team of terrorists”.

The resilient protesters have assertively demanded an independent and regular technological audit of the testing bodies responsible for conducting competitive exams like NEET. They have insisted on establishing a clear time frame for a retest in the event of a leak and called for implementing strict guidelines to prevent future leaks.

The collateral damage from the leak was staggering. At least 20 girls and boys including a school topper from Dehradun have tragically committed suicide as a result.

What kind of a country are we becoming where the young choose to die, and not live?

There has been widespread anger and frustration among the 22.5 lakh candidates who appeared in the aborted NEET exam in May 2026. Months of preparation and attending expensive tutorial lessons had been rendered meaningless.   

The leak of the NEET question paper was the final tipping point. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, stated that there have been as many as 152 leaks over the past decade, with “zero convictions”.

It appears that competitive exams are being controlled by the corrupt—for the benefit of the corrupt.

The NEET paper leak, the launch of the CJP, and the subsequent protests highlight a deeper socio-economic malaise confronting the youth—rising unemployment. A study by Azim Premji University, released earlier this year, reveals that 40 per cent of individuals aged 20-25 are unemployed, and a mere 7 per cent of graduates secure permanent employment. Furthermore, a staggering percentage of young graduates who claim they are 'employed' are actually in temporary positions or engaged in gig work, such as delivery executives.

It's clear that the divide between the educated workforce and those who are gainfully employed will only widen. Companies are using AI as a scapegoat while they downsize and eliminate jobs, as evidenced by the recent layoffs at major tech firms in Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai. Instead of investing in their employees, these companies are resorting to salary cuts to mask their financial woes.

Moreover, the small-scale manufacturing sector is facing a dire situation, crippled by insufficient fiscal support and the rise of monopolies that threaten their existence. The outlook for young professionals is undeniably grim, and immediate action is necessary to address these challenges.

Whether the CJP achieves its objectives or not, its protest has successfully united a significantly massive segment of young voters who recognise they have been treated so unfairly. They should also understand that they must actively fight for their right to live with dignity in a world dominated by inequality.

Those who perpetrated the atrocities on July 20, 2026, especially those who sexually assaulted the women protesters, must be severely and immediately punished under law. If this arrogant government chooses another brutal crackdown, it is going to badly boomerang.

This Gen Z is on the path of truth and they will not go down so easily.

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Photos courtesy: Instagram and Social Media