Modi Says He Forgives Students Who Abused Him During India’s ‘Cockroach’ Protests

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he is willing to forgive students who directed abusive remarks at him during last month's protests, describing the young demonstrators as “misled children” who should be guided toward what he called the right path rather than subjected to prolonged legal proceedings.

The remarks came after a youth-led protest movement, known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), developed into one of the most significant political challenges of Modi's third term. The movement began in May as an online campaign focused on education reform after a major examination was cancelled following the leakage of question papers.

More than two million students were subsequently required to retake the examination the following month, helping fuel widespread anger among young people. What initially emerged through social media posts and memes eventually grew into a large protest movement, attracting tens of thousands of participants in New Delhi and inspiring demonstrations in other Indian cities.

The protesters adopted the name Cockroach Janta Party after India's Supreme Court chief justice reportedly referred to unemployed young people and activists as “cockroaches.” The phrase was subsequently embraced by protesters as part of their online campaign and became a defining symbol of the movement.

The demonstrations ultimately ended after the Modi government agreed to the protesters' major demands. These included the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a commitment not to pursue criminal cases against demonstrators.

However, tensions continued in several states governed by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Authorities filed cases against hundreds of protesters following clashes with security forces and incidents involving abusive slogans directed at the prime minister.

Modi addressed the issue in a video posted on social media late Friday, saying the protesters should not be subjected to punishment or prolonged court proceedings.

“These are misled children. Showing them the right path is our duty,” Modi said, adding that punishing them or forcing them to repeatedly appear in court would not resolve the situation. He also referred to the offensive language directed at him and his late mother during the protests before saying he wanted to forgive the students involved.

The prime minister's comments came amid continuing controversy over the treatment of protesters. Critics say the government's response to the demonstrations has been inconsistent with its earlier commitment to drop police cases.

Supporters of Modi's Hindu nationalist political movement have also been accused of targeting female protesters online. According to reports, some women, including teenagers, were subjected to doxxing, rape threats and death threats on social media, with calls for authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against them.

The demonstrations themselves were marked by clashes between protesters and security forces in several locations. In New Delhi, demonstrators attempting to march toward parliament were reportedly confronted with tear gas, pellet shotguns and baton charges.

Radhika Kumar, a 21-year-old student at Delhi University, criticized Modi's response, accusing him of focusing on the abusive remarks directed at him while failing to address what she described as excessive force used against students.

She also accused supporters of the government of having a history of online harassment against women and said the prime minister's remarks amounted to moral policing of young female protesters.

The Cockroach Janta Party said on Monday that hundreds of students had been arrested in different states, despite the government's stated commitment to withdraw police cases connected to the protests.

The issue has also become a political battleground. Opposition parties have called for the removal of Home Minister Amit Shah, a close political ally of Modi who oversees law and order in Delhi, over the government's handling of the demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the protests have prompted the government to pursue changes to India's public examination laws. The Modi administration has introduced legislation in parliament proposing tougher penalties, including longer prison terms and increased fines, for individuals involved in examination paper leaks.

The developments underline the broader political impact of the student-led movement, which began as a campaign over examination irregularities but expanded into a nationwide debate over government accountability, youth unemployment, policing and freedom of expression.


While Modi's decision to publicly forgive the students signals an attempt to reduce tensions, allegations of arrests and online intimidation continue to keep the confrontation between protesters and authorities in the spotlight.