Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday welcomed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks on Gen Z protests, saying he had rightly drawn a line between dissent and anti-national activity.
Bhagwat, while addressing a gathering in Mumbai on Thursday, had reached out to the youth and said that protests by students were not against the nation but were expressions of democratic rights. He stressed that the youth must be heard and engaged with, rather than being vilified.
The remarks come days after the Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests in Delhi forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the undergraduate medical entrance exam paper leaks.
Reacting to the statement, Abdullah said that Bhagwat stated the truth.
"The Gen Z was protesting for their rights and for their demands. That protest was not against the country, but against the government. He rightly said that protesting against the government is not the same as being against India. It is good that Mohan Bhagwat has been able to make that distinction," he said.
The Chief Minister added that such protests often lead to much-needed reforms.
"Wherever there are mistakes, they need to be corrected. The irregularities in NEET were highlighted because of this movement. Because of this agitation, the examination process has become better. This is in the interest of the country," he said.
He also flagged concerns that some protesters were facing backlash.
"And now that Bhagwat Ji has reached out to the youth, there are reports that some of these young people are being manhandled, trolled on social media, or that their relatives are being targeted. This should stop. They have done nothing against the country. This must end," Abdullah added.
