India, the biggest democracy, is right now facing its hardest phase. It was hit with the biggest protests in 10 different regions for different rights. From students to farmers, everything and everywhere was under protest. For the media outlets, that was normal and a casual approach. Many media persons believed nothing was going to change, as we had witnessed many protests like these before.
But the biggest thing that made a change was a paper, the NEET exam. Thousands of students’ futures were destroyed because of the exam leak. At first, it felt like an issue, but deep down this was a network that had been operating for years. It was not the first time the exam paper had leaked. This resulted in no improvement despite spending millions.
Why did students stand tall for their rights?
It was not the first time the NEET exam paper leaked. Over the years, every competitive exam was leaked, which directly put the hard work of students in vain. This resulted in many students ending their lives, with a number of suicides being committed. The government was relaxed about the outcome, as it had become a routine thing. But this time, CJP, a youth-driven party, vocalized for the youth, as the youth is the major portion of it.
CJP called for protests demanding the NEET exam to be rescheduled and the resignation of the Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, following this negligence.
On the other side, Sonam Wangchuk, a social activist from Ladakh, went on a hunger strike for the students. Gradually, the protest started building from CJP to Sonam, followed by the opposition leaders. For the very first time, students got so much political and moral support from different platforms. This boosted their morale, and somewhere that was the reason Jantar Mantar got the job done.
How did Cockroach Janta Party ignite the fire in Gen Z?
There were many people who raised their voices for the NEET paper leaks. But the first and most effective one was CJP. Somewhere, the mindset of Gen Z was the factor that connected them more efficiently than the others. Giving them credit does not discredit the other participants. CJP had the effective communication it required for mass participation. The narrative they built and the way they carried out the protest were effective. There was a crackdown by the police and other forces that shattered the students, but the way Abhijeet Dipke and Co. kept them motivated was great.
CJP was one of the parties that used social media as an effective medium throughout the protest. The protest built its narrative through social media, which brought many adults from all over India to New Delhi. The traditional media directly built a narrative for the Modi government, negatively showcasing the protests. But the modern tactics used by CJP worked. Furthermore, many YouTube channels highlighted the incident clearly. For instance, K K Create was one of the bravest ones to showcase all the incidents. While Deshbhakt also contributed continuously to nullify the traditional propaganda.
The power of social media once again collected the voices of Generation Z for their rights. The individuals who felt the pain of the students helped out CJP without any call-out.
What will be the outcome of it?
For now, the result was positive. The Minister of Education resigned, and a committee was formed for further improvement and investigations. During the announcement, the protesters were pleased. The days of fighting and hard work paid off, but the real question was: what will be next?
The CJP head was loud and clear: “We don’t want to make anyone a hero. It was a duty that was fulfilled. Before that, we made a man a hero, and now the nation is suffering because of it.”
CJP was clear, but the media outlets reported that it would be an easy move to contest elections and that CJP could give BJP a tough time even in Gujarat, the home state of Modi.
The critics believe it to be the beginning of change that will not stop here. Many of the biggest names may soon be removed from power. The biggest name the protesters called to be removed is PM Modi himself. All these things are just speculation, and there is still a tough way to go. But the way they stood tall warned everyone that the youth is awake now.
