Tell BJP first, protesters are not anti-nationals: Dipke tells Bhagwat
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New Delhi: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s attempt to outreach to Gen Z and Gen Alpha has triggered a sharp political backlash, with opposition leaders questioning the organisation’s attempt to connect with India’s younger generation amid ongoing student protests.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Bhagwat said protesting young people should not automatically be branded anti-national and stressed that opposing a government is different from opposing the country.
The remarks drew a pointed response from Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Coakroach Janta Party and chief organiser of the Jantar Mantar student protests. While welcoming Bhagwat’s position, Dipke argued that the RSS chief should first convey the message to BJP leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He accused BJP figures of repeatedly using hostile labels against protesting students and said the party’s response would test whether it actually follows Bhagwat’s guidance.
Dipke said that Mohan Bhagwat, whom he described as the BJP’s guide and the Prime Minister’s mentor, should directly convey this message to party leaders and urge them to stop branding young people who take to the streets in protest as anti-national.
Dipke also extended support to protests in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, saying his group had already sent members there.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, meanwhile, rejected the idea that India’s youth needed Bhagwat’s approval, while also demanding accountability from the Centre over police action against students protesting the July 20 question-paper leak.
Congress leader Priyank Kharge accused the RSS and BJP of changing their language without changing their underlying ideology.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, backed Bhagwat’s distinction between criticising a government and opposing the nation, while Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav alleged that the BJP was using Bhagwat to counter growing youth discontent.