Now that Dharmendra Pradhan has finally resigned as education minister and an agreement has been reached to reform the examination system, the demand for accountability has, at least in part, been achieved.
At the heart of this achievement is Gen Z, which went all out to express themselves against the corrupt system that leaked examination papers and put the future prospects of students in peril. The youth took to peaceful protests, which didn't go down well with the government. They shouted, fasted, and remained consistent with their demands: an end to corruption and those shielding it.
Drums, Rolls and Costumes
This was the first time that the youth in Delhi and elsewhere united to fight injustice. They burst all the fantasy bubbles of smartphones. No keyboard warriors. No WhatsApp University. No gas. All guts. All they were focused on was the right to express themselves.
As one looks at their method of carrying on protests for justice, one is amazed. Humorous and serious at the same time. Fury and laughter coexisted. Unusual costumes and formal attire came together. Brides came. Spider-Man, Batman, bears, wolves, drums, placards - all existed together. It felt as if they were cruising through the system the way Ronaldo dribbles past defenders.
Placards carried words that made one laugh out loud, shut one's eyes, and take pity on the system. Gen Z's language has been on another level. Sexual innuendo was there to mock the system. Witty lines hitting hard at the entire structure felt too smart, told matter-of-factly, without a care. As if to say: do what you want to do. We will carry on with our way of voicing our demands. We will make you laugh and cry at the same time.
Gen Z could make fun of its own suffering, deliberately or accidentally. The farce was too intense for the government to ignore. It made those in power think things through. Predict the future. It was a horrific situation for the higher mortals. It was not just about crying, taking blows, or repressing voices. It was also about shooting smiles, hitting back, gathering, and giggling.
Where Grief and Spine Assembled
What occurred at Jantar Mantar recently brought together a vast diversity of people. Some oozing blood from their heads. A few gave speeches. Others lay on the ground as if long dead. Seen together, it was a perfect combination of people grieving and, somehow, enjoying their grief. With spine. And with unique personalities.
One of the videos shared on the X @sach_n01:
Dangers of a Brutal Response
Of late, the government has backtracked on its agreement and gone further by deciding to arrest unarmed students accused of causing riots in Delhi and elsewhere. It does not take rocket science to understand that when police brutality occurs, the situation has a high chance of descending into chaos. A complete mixture of students and police, as if camouflaged. Even then, unarmed masses stood out, their heads dripping with blood.
Supreme Court recently guaranteed peaceful protests as a constitutional right. Heavy-handedness by the government to avenge its bruised ego could push this formidable youth into a far larger movement. That possibility no longer seems far-fetched. Their actions seem more like a warning than a full-fledged agitation: a warning to the system that a revolution could follow should anything harm the welfare of students.
Lessons From Students
The persistence of the Gen Z in refusing to bow despite pressures until its demands ere conceded should serve a lesson to the government. No amount of sugarcoating helped here. The Prime Minister addressed students thrice through video messages, thanking them for being cooperative and assuring stringent punishment for those responsible for leaking examination papers.
It did not align with their demands, and they were asking for a press conference, where questions could be put directly to the Prime Minister and answered by him. Many protesters viewed it as a genuine democratic demand. But the real substance lay in demanding the press conference itself. Therein lies the entire crux of Gen Z. And it's something worth paying attention to.
With a calculated play of words, protesting with gusto, and turning every event into a humorous spectacle, Gen Z achieved what it wanted.
However, it would not be out of place to mention that, at times, Gen Z acted recklessly and less rationally, as was the case with the ‘moral-policing’ of embedded media persons. When emotions take over, rationality recedes. Issues of justice are pushed to the margins with dangers of a perfectly justifiable movement turning into a farce.
It then becomes a victim of politics and political games played by others: national parties cooking their politics on the turf of students' agitation for their own vote bank. And it can also be weaponised by the state against the agitation, allowing any number of interpretations to be drawn.
It's indeed healthy in a democracy to express concerns and criticise the government. Kudos to the spirit of Gen Z, though. The assurances have come. Accountability has prevailed. Now, whether the policies and amendments would translate into meaningful reforms and consistent implementation remains to be seen. Until then, it would be wise to reserve both celebration and condemnation.
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