Gen Z grievances are genuine, protest lawful form of dialogue, says Bhagwat after student stir

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said protest is a legitimate form of dialogue in a democracy and should be aimed at building consensus rather than creating divisions, comments coming in the backdrop of a recent stir by a fledgling pressure group on exam paper leaks.

Bhagwat noted the concerns being raised over India's education system are genuine and batted for increasing spending on the key sector to 6 per cent of the GDP.

"Protest is also a way of dialogue. In a democracy, protest is a way of building consensus. Different views come together and a consensus evolves after discussion, he said, addressing a gathering of around 2,000 Gen Z and Gen Aplha members at India's International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) 15th anniversary event in Mumbai.

"If, for various reasons, concerns are not heard through dialogue, people may turn to agitation. But the purpose of all this is to build consensus, not to create divisions. The Gen Z grievances are genuine and I believe in their honesty," he emphasised.

Bhagwat's interaction is being seen as the RSS' most significant outreach to Gen Z (born roughly 1997-2012) and Gen Alpha (2013-2025) since the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protests over NEET paper leak culminated in Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation last month.

The BJP government's handling of the protests, which turned violent during the July 20 march to Parliament in New Delhi called by the CJP, has invited criticism from different quarters.

Dialogue should always be the first step, he insisted.

"There should be dialogue. What should happen if dialogue does not work can be considered later," the RSS leader opined in response to a question posed to him during an interaction at the event.

He argued Gen Z seeks logical answers to their queries along with warmth and respect, unlike earlier generations that tended to accept what elders said without questioning.

Bhagwat maintained that during conflicts with countries such as Pakistan or China, citizens must stand with the government and the armed forces, but stressed that such situations should not permanently disrupt dialogue or people-to-people ties.

Responding to a question on whether people-to-people dialogue should continue during conflicts with Pakistan or China, he said, "In times of conflict, we have to go with whatever the government or military does. But that should not sever the ties which are already there."

He noted India's approach was not to "conquer or obliterate others" but to pursue a "harmonious assimilating process", which required dialogue.

"During conflicts, dialogue can be halted, but conflict should not sever dialogue. After a conflict is resolved, we have to take it forward from where we left it. Permanent animosity or hatred is not the solution," Bhagwat stated.

"When there is trouble, we have to deal with it in the proper way, and during conflict we are with our government and military. But it is a temporary situation arising out of politics. It is not that Pakistanis are wholeheartedly enemies of Indians or vice versa. The state, politics and international borders are facts of life," Bhagwat said.

On the LGBTQIA+ community and legalisation for same-sex marriage, he noted people from the group were part of Indian society and there had been a tradition of accommodating them.

"LGBTQIA+ people are part of our society. There were systems to accommodate them. Marriage is not merely a convenience for two people to live together. The family is a unit of society where the next generation is trained to become good citizens. If we disturb the existing system without creating a new one, it could lead to conflict," Bhagwat argued.

Bhagwat said laws should follow social acceptance rather than dictate it

"We have to prepare society first. Laws don't dictate society; society dictates the laws. At this stage, if we tamper with the marriage system, it may create side effects. We need to prepare a system that accommodates all such people. Our approach has to change and special measures have to be taken," he stated.

On same-sex couples, Bhagwat said a suitable social and legal framework would have to be devised.

"You have to devise a system for how same-sex couples can live together. You can make a law and society will accept it. Such a law should ensure the smooth functioning of society in the future as well," he opined.

A large part of the interaction with Bhagwat was focused on issues faced by youngsters and use of social media.

Bhagwat said banning social media was not the solution to its harmful effects, asserting society must develop self-discipline and verify information from authentic sources before believing anything online.

He stressed rules and regulations alone would not work unless people's attitudes changed.

"Rules and discipline are necessary, but they succeed only when attitudes change. Many laws have been made. What matters is changing people's mindset," the RSS leader maintained.

Warning about the misuse of technology, the RSS chief said people should not trust content on social media without verification.

"Today, technology can create fake videos using our faces and voices. Knowing this, people should never believe anything on social media without verifying it from authentic sources," he suggested.

Bhagwat noted social media influencers carried a responsibility towards their followers.

"If I am a social media icon and 10 lakh people follow me, it becomes my responsibility to ensure they do not end up in a problem by following me. That much wisdom is necessary," he said.

Calling for self-regulation, he said the older generation should help the youth develop the wisdom to use social media responsibly.

"We need self-imposed discipline in using social media. Once that discipline develops, regulations will work effectively," Bhagwat observed.

Responding to a question on whether India should ban social media for children (of certain age group) as has been done by some other countries, Bhagwat opined restriction was not the answer.

"If you ban something, it simply moves to the black market and spreads even more. The entire society has to respond to this challenge together. Only then will the government's efforts succeed," he said.

Bhagwat said he supported the demand to increase spending on education to 6 per cent of the GDP.

"Education is not a commercial business; it should be structured in such a way that it is available for all. Society should also contribute to improving the status of education," the RSS chief said.

Employment does not only constitute jobs but also entrepreneurship, Bhagwat said while responding to a query on joblessness in the country.

On whether Indian civil society should invite students or citizens from Pakistan or China for dialogue, Bhagwat said such initiatives should not take place during periods of conflict.

"Not during the times of conflict. A conflict may be a military war or even terrorism. Terrorism is not only about terrorists of a radical group; there is a whole philosophy and policy behind it, a 'thousand cuts' approach. It is a hidden war and we have to treat it accordingly," he said.