Modi Confronts Unprecedented Political Turmoil
Despite the deployment of over 10,000 security personnel last week, young protesters in India breached barricades, raised anti-government slogans, and clashed with police. One young protester shouted ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ before being forcibly pushed into a bus. This growing instability presents the biggest crisis for PM Narendra Modi since 2014, in a nation where nearly a quarter of the one billion voters are Gen Z. Ananya Raturi, a 21-year-old Delhi University student, stated, ‘The fear within us is gone. We are no longer afraid that the police will detain or beat us.’
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, street protests this year are tracking to surpass any annual total in the past decade amid discontent against Modi’s BJP government. Protesters in Delhi and elsewhere are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged bias during voter list revisions. Activist Yogendra Yadav noted, ‘The nation has suddenly found its voice. I wouldn’t call this the beginning of the end for the Modi government, but it is certainly the start of its downward slide.’
The movement gained national momentum through the ‘Cockroach Janata Party,’ which originated as a satirical online campaign in June after India’s Chief Justice compared unemployed youth to cockroaches. Mobile videos and YouTube channels amplified its reach, turning founder Abhijit Deepak and leftist activist Neha Bora into prominent figures, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also joined the protests. Protesters are voicing intense anger over unemployment, exam paper leaks, crimes against women, and Modi’s close ties to business tycoons.
Young protesters accuse the government of failing to deliver promised jobs while prioritizing religious infrastructure and divisive politics targeting minorities. Gouri Seth, a 30-year-old medical student from Kolkata, remarked, ‘The government made many promises but failed to deliver. Instead, their focus remains on religious infrastructure. Violence against minorities is occurring, and anyone who speaks out against them is branded an anti-national.’ Azim Premji University’s State of Working India 2026 report highlights that graduate unemployment for ages 15 to 25 stands at nearly 40 percent.
While some compare India’s unrest to youth-led movements in Bangladesh and Nepal, analysts caution that India’s unique political landscape and PM Modi’s enduring popularity make direct comparisons inaccurate. Nevertheless, upcoming early next year elections in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, will serve as a crucial test of Modi’s public support. Ruby Singh, a 30-year-old social worker, summed up the crisis by noting that the younger generation is paying a heavy price for lacking proper education and future opportunities.
Source: Reuters.
