Gen Z Rises: People’s Wave Shakes the State
by Nazrul Ahmed Zamader
After Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, now India has seen a similar trend. Organic and horizontal people’s movements have shaken state power. In the first three countries, these movements took the form of mass uprisings. Those uprising overthrow the state power. In India, that has not happened yet. The Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation has temporarily paused the people’s spontaneous movement. But this moment points to a bigger future change. It shows that people’s movements can defeat fascist forces.
After independence, several important movements took place in India. These include the movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan against Indira Gandhi, the Naxalbari movement, and more recent farmer protests and anti-NRC/CAA protests. The Jayaprakash movement became pan-Indian. But it was led by political parties. The Naxalbari movement had deep political and social impact, but it did not spread across all of India. The anti-NRC and CAA protests spread widely, but they were not led centrally by political parties. Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement was a joint effort of many parties against Indira Gandhi’s Emergency. It led to Indira Ghandi’s defeat in the elections. But people could use their voting rights then. That is why she lost. Today, the situation is different. The present government has captured democratic institutions. Bodies like the Election Commission are accused of being used for political interests. There are also allegations of election manipulation. This makes the current system more authoritarian in nature. The farmers’ movement forced the Modi government to repeal three controversial farm laws. But that movement did not spread everywhere. It was not fully pan-Indian. The anti-NRC/CAA movement spread widely but could not shake state power deeply.
The recent student movement around the NEET paper leak is different. It has surpassed earlier movements in scale. The number of people on the streets was unprecedented. In West Bengal, even within two months of a BJP government, massive protests were seen in Kolkata. On 24 July, nearly 6 million people reportedly joined the protest.
The issue of exam paper leaks triggered anger. But the spark came from a comment by the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant. He told Gen Z youth do nothing and only oppose the system. They act like cockroaches and make the system useless from inside. In response, an Indian student in the US, Abhijeet Dipke, reacted on social media. He said, “Yes, we are cockroaches.” He then announced the formation of a group called the Cockroach Janata Party. Within days, it gained over 10 million followers on Instagram. Under this banner, protests began at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Famous educator and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk started a hunger strike. Left student groups also joined. The student wing of CPI (ML) Liberation, AISA, took a notable part. On 20 July, during the Parliament march, Delhi Police used force. Students were beaten brutally, and tear gas was used. Many were injured. This triggered nationwide protests. Eventually, under pressure, the Prime Minister was forced to make Dharmendra Pradhan resign.
The question is, why did this happen now? The BJP has been in power for over 12 years. It controls many states. Corporate support and mainstream media have strengthened it. The state has often worked in favor of big corporations. At the same time, people’s rights have been reduced. The government also promotes a strong Hindutva ideology. In every way, this state system is powerful. It has also used constitutional bodies to silence the opposition. These are allegations of election rigging. That is how this state has become a fascist state. So why did people suddenly come out against this powerful state over Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation? Why did a people’s explosion happen? Many felt that if the movement had continued, this government itself would have fallen. Why did this situation arise so suddenly? The truth is, this was not sudden. Anger had been building among youth and students for a long time. People did not notice it. A change was happening in the thinking of students and youth. The famous German philosopher Friedricch Hegel said something important here. Big changes in history do not happen suddenly. First, people’s consciousness, thinking and social ideas change slowly. This internal change happens through a dialectical process. Often, this change is not visible. But later, it takes the form of a big historical event.
If we look at the character of this movement, we see it is completely pro-people. It is not controlled by any single party. It is not top-down. It is horizontal and organic. French thinker Gilles Deleuze spoke about two types of movements: molar and molecular. Molar movements are run and organized by the centre of a big political party or organization. Molecular movements are run by many small groups or agencies. No party centre controls them. Ordinary people take part spontaneously. In that sense, this student movement is molecular in nature. That does not mean political parties had no role. They did participate. But they acted more as supportive forces.
To understand this social media-driven movement, we must also mention the famous theorist Manuel Castells. He described modern society as a network society. So movements are the result of a network society. Through social media and the internet, people create decentralized networks. No single leader or party runs them. Instead, self-organized horizontal communication makes these movements possible. The Cockroach Janata Party itself emerged from social media. It has no formal structure yet. It started as an idea online. Then millions joined and said, “We are all cockroaches.”
Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation has temporarily stopped this movement. But it signals a bigger future change. It shows the possibility of defeating fascist forces through people’s movements. Even though the movement is horizontal and pro-people, the role of left forces is important. In the future, their role will be even more crucial. Especially after any major change, they must help in rebuilding the state and society. The aspirations of students, farmers, workers, marginalized communities, and minorities must be reflected. This can happen only if left forces play a strong role. They can also guide policies on environment, gender equality, and social justice. Therefore, left forces must engage with people from now on. They must understand public sentiment. They must prepare for future transformations. Discussions on what kind of state and society we want are necessary. These discussions must include people’s participation. Only then can a truly democratic and just system be built.
Nazrul Ahmed Zamader is a PhD Scholar at Jadavpur University. He may be reached at nazrulahmedzamader1978@gmail.com.
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