Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said on Thursday that protesting does not make Gen Z anti-national.
The statement marks a significant tone for the nationalist organization, suggesting a shift toward validating youth dissent as a democratic tool rather than a sign of disloyalty to the state.
Speaking at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai, Bhagwat said protest is a democratic method to raise concerns and seek dialogue. He said that the act of protesting is a legitimate way to reach consensus within a democratic framework.
"Gen Z are our own, protesting doesn’t make them anti-national," Bhagwat said.
He said the necessity of public expression when formal channels fail to provide results. He said that if a voice is not heard, individuals have the right to protest to bring their issues to light.
"In a democracy, protest is a way of reaching consensus," Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat said that the concerns of the youth should be addressed through active dialogue. He said against the practice of labeling protesters as anti-national, arguing that such labels ignore the underlying grievances of the generation.
"If your voice isn’t heard, you can protest," Bhagwat said.
“"Gen Z are our own, protesting doesn’t make them anti-national."”
By decoupling the act of protest from the label of anti-nationalism, the RSS chief is attempting to bridge a widening gap between traditional nationalist structures and the political expressions of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. This positioning suggests an effort to maintain influence over the youth by framing dissent as a patriotic engagement with democracy rather than an opposition to it.
