Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he wants to forgive protesters who hurled insults at him during youth-led demonstrations sparked by anger over examination paper leaks.
The protests, organised by the online Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, spread across New Delhi and other Indian cities, becoming one of the biggest challenges faced by Modi’s government in recent years.
Some protesters were seen in widely shared videos making abusive remarks against the prime minister, prompting online backlash from Modi supporters and police complaints, local media reported.
Speaking in a video posted on Instagram, Modi said some young protesters crossed the line but should be guided rather than punished.
“The country and the world witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous youngsters hurled vile abuses,” Modi said.
He added that the comments targeted not only him but also his late mother, saying he had chosen to forgive them.
Modi also argued that mistakes made by young people should be addressed through counselling and correction instead of legal action.
The demonstrations began over allegations of examination paper leaks but later expanded into wider concerns about unemployment and governance. The unrest eventually led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Since the protests began, Modi has increased his use of Instagram to engage directly with young Indians, the same platform where the CJP movement gained significant support.
The ruling party has about 9.6 million Instagram followers, while the CJP, launched in May, has reportedly attracted more than 26 million followers.
