Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Omar Abdullah Praises RSS Chief's Remarks on Gen Z Protests
A leader from a place called Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, agreed with something a big leader of a group called the RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, said.
Mr. Bhagwat told young people that when they protest, or gather to ask for change, they are not being bad to their country.
He said protesting is a way people use their democratic rights, which means everyone gets to share their opinion.
Some students were upset because there were problems with a big medical exam called NEET, where question papers were leaked.
Because students protested, an important education leader had to quit his job.
Mr. Abdullah said the students were asking for their rights, not fighting against their country.
He said their protests helped find mistakes in the exam and made the process better.
He also asked people to stop being mean to the young protesters, whether by hurting them or saying bad things about them online.
Mr. Abdullah said the protesters did nothing against their country and that this unfair treatment should stop.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks distinguishing student protests from anti-national activity.
Bhagwat, addressing a Mumbai gathering, said student protests were expressions of democratic rights and that youth must be heard rather than vilified.
The remarks follow Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests in Delhi that forced Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over undergraduate medical entrance exam paper leaks.
Abdullah said protesting against the government is not the same as being against India and that such movements lead to reforms.
Abdullah called for an end to backlash against protesters, citing reports of manhandling, social media trolling, and targeting of their relatives.
Abdullah noted that the NEET agitation highlighted exam irregularities and improved the examination process.
- Who
- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, with student protesters in Delhi and former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
- What
- Abdullah praised Bhagwat's remarks that Gen Z student protests are democratic rights, not anti-national activity.
- When
- Abdullah spoke on a Friday, a day after Bhagwat's remarks in Mumbai on Thursday.
- Where
- Bhagwat spoke in Mumbai; the student protests took place in Delhi; Abdullah responded as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Why
- To defend protesters following the NEET paper-leak agitation and to affirm that dissent against the government is not anti-national.
Protest supporters
Protest critics
Status of Gen Z protests
Protest supporters
Protests are expressions of democratic rights and are not against the nation; youth must be heard and engaged with.
Protest critics
Some protesters face backlash, including being manhandled, trolled on social media, and having relatives targeted, indicating critics view them negatively.
Impact of the NEET agitation
Protest supporters
The movement highlighted irregularities in NEET and led to a better examination process, which is in the country's interest.
Protest critics
The agitation forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a disruption not detailed as welcome in the reporting.
- Speaker
- Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
- Subject of praise
- RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
- Bhagwat's venue
- Mumbai gathering
- Protest location
- Delhi
- Protest trigger
- Undergraduate medical entrance exam (NEET) paper leaks
- Political outcome
- Resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
- Protest group
- Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests