GEN F.........D (Foul- mouthed)

  •   Sat, Aug 01 2026
  •   By Ankith S Kumar

August 1, 2026

Firstly, I congratulate Gen Z on what many see as a significant victory in raising the paper leak issue. You demonstrated the power of democracy in action. Through sustained protests, unity, and determination, you compelled those in authority to respond to a matter that deeply affected the futures of countless students.

That deserves appreciation.

You showed that when young people unite for a cause, they can make governments accountable. You proved that democracy is not merely about casting a vote every few years but about citizens actively demanding justice. For your perseverance, resilience, and collective spirit...Bravo, Gen Z!

However, I also want to speak about another side of the protests—one that deeply disappointed me.

I am referring to the section of the protesters who resorted to vulgar, abusive, and obscene slurs directed at individuals holding some of the highest constitutional and public offices in the country.

Let me be clear. My disagreement is not with the protest. It is not with questioning the government. Nor is it with criticizing those in power.

In a democracy, citizens have every right to criticize leaders, question decisions, and demand accountability. But there is a profound difference between criticism and contempt, between passion and profanity, and between dissent and degradation. The abusive language that echoed through parts of the protest did not diminish the dignity of those it targeted as much as it diminished the dignity of those who shouted it.

Respect is not earned by holding office alone, nor is it lost because someone disagrees with your politics. Public offices represent institutions larger than the individuals occupying them. When protesters replace arguments with vulgar abuse, they shift attention away from the issue and towards their own conduct. Sadly, the conversation then becomes about the language rather than the cause.

What troubled me even more was that these videos were not confined to India. Within minutes, they were circulating across social media platforms around the world. The world was not merely watching a protest against a paper leak. It was also watching how a section of India's educated youth chose to express its anger.

Is this really the image we want to project?

That our brightest students, equipped with degrees, digital literacy, and access to unlimited knowledge, believe that abuse is the highest form of expression? Education is not measured only by marks or qualifications. It is reflected in character, emotional maturity, and the ability to disagree without descending into vulgarity.

A person can possess a university degree and still be uncivil. Conversely, one can disagree fiercely while speaking with dignity. Some may argue that anger justifies harsh language. I disagree. History is filled with examples of leaders who challenged powerful governments without reducing their movements to obscenity. Their strength lay not in how loudly they shouted but in the force of their ideas.

Profanity may satisfy momentary anger, but it rarely strengthens a movement. Instead, it gives critics an opportunity to dismiss genuine concerns by pointing to unacceptable behaviour. The tragedy is that the paper leak protest had a legitimate cause. Thousands of hardworking students had every reason to feel betrayed. Their voices deserved to be heard.

Unfortunately, the vulgarity displayed by a few risked overshadowing the very injustice they were protesting against. Perhaps this reflects a larger cultural shift.

Today, social media often rewards outrage more than reason. The most abusive clip gains the most views. The harshest slogan trends faster than the most thoughtful speech. Gradually, civility is mistaken for weakness, while aggression is celebrated as authenticity. That is a dangerous direction for any society. Democracy flourishes not merely because people are free to speak, but because they choose to speak responsibly.

A generation that wishes to lead the future must also learn how to elevate public discourse. Being fearless does not require being foul-mouthed. Being revolutionary does not require being disrespectful. Being angry does not require being abusive.

If Gen Z truly wants to change the nation, let it become known for its ideas, innovation, courage, and integrity, not for slogans that cannot be repeated in a classroom, a workplace, or before one's own parents. My criticism is not of Gen Z as a whole. It is of that small but vocal section that mistakes vulgarity for bravery and abuse for activism.

The paper leak protest proved that the youth have the power to bring change. Now it is time to prove that they also possess the wisdom and maturity to lead that change with dignity. Because history remembers movements not only for what they fought for, but also for how they fought.

 

 

 

 
By Ankith S Kumar
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Comment on this article

  • Daniel, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 01 2026

    Yes Correct and also It is written in the Holy Scripture "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment."

  • Bhima Rao, Bangalore

    Sat, Aug 01 2026

    It is very focused article on how to behave and demonstrate integrity. I liked very much the last two paragraphs. My appreciation to Mr.Ankit for writing very crispy and give powerful message. This article should be circulated to students of high school and above and including IIT and IIM campus. Bhima Rao i

  • Likitha, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 01 2026

    Very true Usauge of wrong words need to be corrected


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