Archive · 7 Aug 2026
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat: Protesting Gen Z Are Not Anti-National
A very important leader in India named Mohan Bhagwat talked to young people called Gen Z. He leads a big group called the RSS.
He told them that protesting is okay in a democracy.
Protests are a way for people to talk and agree with each other.
He said young people who protest are not against their country.
They just need someone to listen and talk to them.
He said today's young people ask questions and want real answers, and that is good.
He said long ago, young people just did what elders said without asking.
Bhagwat said if he had to pick sides without proof, he would trust the young people.
But he also said protests must follow the rules of the country and dialogue should come first.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat told Gen Z and Gen Alpha in Mumbai that protest is a legitimate democratic method to build consensus, not an act of rebellion.
Bhagwat said Gen Z protesters are "not anti-national" and must be engaged with through dialogue.
Asked about alleged lathi-charge and pellet firing by police, Bhagwat declined to judge without facts, adding "I will trust Gen Z."
He contrasted Gen Z's questioning nature with earlier generations, framing it as India's tradition of shastrarth rather than confrontation.
The address is seen as a strategic reset to reach first-time voters and digitally native citizens ahead of the 2029 elections.
- Who
- Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), addressing Gen Z and Gen Alpha youth.
- What
- Bhagwat legitimised protest as democratic dialogue, said Gen Z protesters are not anti-national, and called for engagement with youth.
- When
- Thursday, August 7, 2026.
- Where
- Mumbai, India.
- Why
- To connect with India's young, digitally native first-time voters and address their grievances ahead of the 2029 elections, recognising that Gen Z responds to dialogue rather than authority.
Traditional Framing
Bhagwat's Outreach Stance
Protests and Nationalism
Traditional Framing
Student protests and youth mobilisations are increasingly viewed through political and ideological lenses, with protests risking being branded as disruptive or politically motivated, emphasising discipline and social order.
Bhagwat's Outreach Stance
Protest is a legitimate constitutional method to build consensus in a democracy; Gen Z protesters are "not anti-national" and must be engaged with through dialogue.
Police Action During Protests
Traditional Framing
Authorities expect their version of events to be accepted, with Bhagwat declining to criticise police action without facts.
Bhagwat's Outreach Stance
Gen Z alleges lathi-charge and pellet firing by police; if asked to believe one side without evidence, Bhagwat said, "I will trust Gen Z."
Youth Questioning
Traditional Framing
Earlier generations accepted what elders said, and questioning authority can be dismissed as indiscipline.
Bhagwat's Outreach Stance
Gen Z debates, questions and seeks reasoning, which Bhagwat called India's tradition of shastrarth, not confrontation.
- Key Figure
- Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief
- Event
- Address to Gen Z and Gen Alpha youth
- Location
- Mumbai, India
- Date
- Thursday, August 7, 2026
- Core Message
- "In democracy, protest is also a method to build consensus"
- On Gen Z Protesters
- "If Gen Z engages in agitation, they are not anti-national" - they need scope for dialogue
- On Police Actions
- Declined to judge lathi-charge and pellet firing allegations without facts; "I will trust Gen Z"
- Political Context
- Outreach to first-time voters and digitally native citizens ahead of the 2029 elections