Even as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is planning a new campaign from next month to interact with people all over the country to get to know their issues, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said the grievances of the Gen Z protesters were genuine and India’s education system needed reformation.

“If Gen Z is protesting, they are not anti-nationals. They are our own people, our next generation…I do not believe Gen Z is like that…I think the new generation – the Gen Z and Gen Alpha, is more honest than our existing generation, and honest appeal of patriotism and service works with them,” Mr Bhagwat said on the recent students’ protest and branding the protesters as ‘anti-nationals’ while participating in one of the world’s largest youth-led conference.

After a meeting of the core committee of the CJP being held for the last two days at the residence of its founder president at his hometown Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, Abhijeet Dipke told media persons on Thursday that the CJP would launch a ‘kya bolti public’ campaign next month to interact with people all over India and to get to know their issues. “During the ‘kya bolti public’ campaign, we will get to know what people think of the present situation in the country and what the issues they face are,” he said. CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das, spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka and other representatives were also present at the press conference.

The Gen Z is “apne log (our people)” and if they are protesting its concerns should be addressed,” he underscored. “If the Gen Z is agitating, they certainly aren’t anti-nationals; they are our own people, our next generation,” Bhagwat said at the Conference titled ‘The Role of Youth in Uniting the World, the Indian Way.’ The 75-year-old RSS chief said he won’t say that Gen Z should not protest, but in a democracy there are ways of going about it.

The remarks came days after student protests, led by the CJP at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the undergraduate medical entrance exam paper leaks. Pictures from the heart of protest site, Jantar Mantar, showed police lathicharging, teargassing student protesters who were trying to march to Parliament on July 20. Some were even shot at with pellet guns.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said he could relate to the frustration among India’s youth over the state of the education system. “This was not anger… this was not hatred, this was deep expression of the youth of this country, of the future generation of this country, and I feel that all political parties must respect this expression,” he said in a speech in Parliament.

Mr Bhagwat said protest was also a method to have consensus. He added that lot of views come together and a consensus was evolved after discussion, that discussion may happen through dialogue. “Due to various reasons, if that thing is not heard, agitation can be done. But this is to be done to evolve the consensus, not to create divisions. As far as Gen Z is concerned, what happened recently – their grievance is genuine.

“A lot needs to be done in India’s education system, and it is not being done; so, this is being raised. So, indeed there should be dialogue…As far as my experience about Gen Z goes, when we were their age, we were habitual of accepting whatever the elders said, we never questioned them. Now, Gen Z and Gen Alpha questions, they want logical answers and love…In democracy, this is the method. They call it ‘debate’ in English, we call it ‘shastrarth’ – there is no debate there but there are two sides there: ‘poorv’ and ‘uttar’.

“We look at all aspects and everyone has their own perspective, so a new dimension comes to light in every subject. So, we get so many opinions and counter-opinions, they together form total view of the truth. This should indeed happen. I won’t say that Gen Z should not protest, but there are methods to how and what is to be done in democracy. Those who drafted the Constitution, the speeches of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, have indications on the same. This should be looked at. We too should see that Gen Z is not raising its voice to oppose, they are doing this because they have some issues and that should be rectified. Agitation should not be against me or you, but for system correction,” he said.

Mr Bhagwat said education was not a commercial business and it should be structured in such a way that it was available for all. “I am not saying that Gen Z should not protest…but in a democracy, there are ways and methods to decide how things should be done. The Constitution given to us by Dr BR Ambedkar, and if we read even two of his speeches, we will find indications of how issues should be addressed,” he said.

Mohan Bhagwat went on to say that “you and I may not have any prior relationship, and if you ask me a question, I could ask, ‘Who are you to question me?’ “But when we know each other and there is a connection, then I will respond. This is how conversations should happen. In our tradition, we refer to it as Shastrarth. It is not merely about arguments and counterarguments; it involves presenting the initial perspective (purva paksha) and the response (uttar paksha)…,” he said.

He said Gen Z and Gen Alpha seek logical answers and the old mindset—that one must simply accept whatever elders say—no longer applies. “It is certainly not the case that Gen Z shouldn’t protest. However, when they do speak up, we ought to listen. There were indeed shortcomings in the communication during previous Gen Z protests. They are our next generation; they are our own. How can we label them “anti-national”? Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the most honest generations. Neither you nor I have full details regarding why or how the lathi-charge occurred. But I place my blind faith in Gen Z,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Dipke while describing Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as the biggest achievement of the recent students’ agitation, Mr Dipke said, “The fear which this government created in the last 10-12 years in the minds of people has now ended.” “People will now come onto the streets. Today, they have sought resignation of one person; tomorrow they will demand resignations of others,” he said.

“The CJP will operate as per Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru’s vision for a developed India,” Mr Dipke said. “Our ideology is the same as the Constitution of India,” he added. There were not only students but also jobless youngsters who participated in the Jantar Mantar protest, Mr Dipke said. Protests led by CJP at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi last month over the NEET paper leak and other exam irregularities led to Pradhan resigning as the Union education minister.

“Unemployment is a major problem; we will make it a nationwide issue. We will work on education reforms. Education has remained unaffordable since schooling. Education is used for making profits. But we want to change it,” he said. About 60% of people in the country are below the age of 35 and protesters at Jantar Mantar also comprised such people, Mr Dipke noted. The CJP founder also said there was a need to bring back the credibility of the media.