Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 6: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said protests are a legitimate form of dialogue in a democracy and called for greater engagement with young people, saying many issues can be resolved through discussion rather than confrontation.

Addressing around 2,000 members of Generation Z and Generation Alpha at the 15th anniversary programme of India's International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) in Mumbai, Bhagwat said protests help build consensus when people's voices are not heard.

"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.

His remarks come against the backdrop of recent student protests over the NEET paper leak and examination irregularities, which culminated in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Responding to questions from participants, Bhagwat described Gen Z and Gen Alpha as the most honest generations compared to previous ones, saying they deserve to be trusted.

"I have not called anyone an anti-national. In fact, today's generation, Gen Z and Alpha, is the most honest generation compared to earlier generations. We can trust them blindly. The children are the gift of God," he said.

He said today's youth differ from earlier generations because they seek logical explanations delivered with warmth and respect rather than simply following instructions from elders.

Emphasising the importance of democratic engagement, Bhagwat said protests become necessary when governments fail to listen to public concerns.

"Dialogue is essential in a democracy. I will not say that Gen Z should not protest, but there are ways to hold a protest; there is a clear roadmap for doing so. If Gen Z is raising its voice, we need to pay attention. The agitation happened because their concerns were not heard. These issues can be resolved through dialogue," he said.

When asked about allegations of the use of pellet guns and lathi-charge against students protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Bhagwat said he did not have sufficient information about the incident or the circumstances surrounding it.

On the state of school education, Bhagwat said the government should allocate more resources to the sector and suggested increasing education spending to six per cent of GDP, in line with recommendations made by several expert committees.

Referring to the lack of basic facilities such as toilets, clean drinking water and the shortage of nearly one lakh teachers in schools, he said education should not be treated as a commercial enterprise.

"Education is the responsibility of everyone. If someone is not discharging their duty, then there is a problem in the system. But at the same time, the public also has to extend their support and cooperation.

"Besides, education should not be treated as a commercial industry. Every child has the right to education. We impart education to build an educated next generation, and through education, young people become more aware and responsible citizens," he said.

On employment, Bhagwat said opportunities should not be viewed only in terms of salaried jobs, adding that entrepreneurship is equally important for India's future.

Responding to a question on whether India should ban social media for children, as some countries have done, Bhagwat said restrictions alone would not solve the problem.

"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.

He also cautioned people against blindly believing content circulating on social media, noting that advances in artificial intelligence and digital technology have made it possible to create convincing fake videos and audio recordings.

"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 said.

Speaking on India's relations with neighbouring countries, Bhagwat said dialogue with Pakistan and China should continue during normal times, while stressing that citizens should stand firmly with the country during periods of conflict.

"Two thousand years ago, India gave something valuable to China—the Buddhist religion, while Pakistan was part of India. We should always keep this in mind. Humanity is one, but during the time of conflict, we need to be with our country," he said.

On same-sex marriage and the LGBTQ+ community, Bhagwat said such individuals are an integral part of society and should be accepted as such, adding that Indian society has a long tradition of accommodating diverse communities.