By Dr. Gyan Pathak
“Generation Z’s grievances are genuine” said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief (Sarsanghchalak) Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday, August 6, 2026 during an event organised by India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN), a youth-run nonprofit body in Mumbai, adding that “I trust Gen Z blindly”. Only 10 days ago on July 27 in Hyderabad event, he had said that Gen Z were “good, adaptable, and emotional” and “do not think with very calm mind”. It is clear from both the comments that the recent comment is more politically nuanced rather genuine, aiming at preventing their political shift towards the opposition.
Both his statements have come after the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP’s) protest movement at Jantar Mantar Delhi against irregularities in public competitive examinations including NEET and brutal violence against students by police forces during their March on Parliament on July 20 which forced the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government to take resignation from Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan. Gen Z got full support from the opposition which raised the issue of brutality on students in the Parliament of India disrupting its proceeding.
Opposition is demanding resignation from Union Minister of Home and his statement in the Parliament, and also an apology from PM Narendra Modi. Politically speaking, it was the greatest humiliation for PM Modi in person and BJP as a political party, which is a member of RSS family, that dreams to make India a Hindu Nation, with ‘nationalism’ as their chief plank. Byelection results of three constituencies are out that showed large shift of youth away from the BJP, which indicates the Gen Z is emerging as a political constituency, and if it continues, RSS-BJP will have the suffer the worst.
RSS chief Bhagwat has perhaps realised the political threat to RSS-BJP family, and therefore within 10 days he modified his statement and now said that young people have a democratic right to protest and question authority. Earlier he said that they can be strongly influenced by things that appear to them “visibly authentic” but now said their grievances can be genuine and should be heard. Earlier he had warned that youth can be drawn into social movements without sufficient calm judgement and focused on vulnerability and impulsiveness of youth, but now remarked that protesting does not make young people anti-national, and focused on legitimacy of youth’s grievances and democratic participation. His earlier comment was more critical, but his recent comment in more sympathetic. One can see the contrast, but must not fail to notice how the two set of statements are reconciled to benefit RSS-BJP in the long run.
The significant shift in Bhagwat’s rhetorical posture from – “Be careful, Gen Z can be emotionally influenced” on July 27 to “I trust Gen Z, even when they protest” is clearly aimed to pacify youth so that they reduce targeting BJP and RSS as organisations. It is worth noting that the Modi government fired pellet guns and teargas against students while Gen Z hurled “abuses” against those who ordered them to fire. Even after giving commitment to withdraw all cases, witch hunting in going on against students enforcing them to “apologise” while PM Modi should apologise for police brutality, demanded the opposition.
What makes Bhagwat’s comment not genuine is his answer to the question about lathi charge against protestors. He said that he trusted the Gen Z, but that complete information about the incident will have to be known before he could comment. Rather he emphasized the importance of self-discipline regarding young people’s use of social media.
Bhagwat’s comment was just a strategic outreach to Gen Z, the chief motive is being to prevent Gen Z from becoming alienated from RSS-BJP ecosystem. By saying “I trust Gen Z blindly” and rejecting the label of “anti-national” as RSS-family leaders earlier tried to project the protesters as such and having foreign funding, Bhagwat creates distance between the RSS and the more dismissive attitude sometimes associated with establishment politics.
RSS chief cunningly tried to separate RSS from the government’s handling of protests. That is a form of signalling that “RSS do not automatically endorse every governmental response simply because the BJP is part of their ideological family.” He just repositioned RSS as a mediator rather than simply a ruling party supporter. It is politically useful for RSS in keeping it support base only later to be translated in votes in support of the BJP, giving youth hope that they can protest and also remain nationalist. That is why he said Gen Z “our own people” and “out next generation”.
Bhagwat knows RSS strategy very well because they think and play far beyond the narrow political thinking of the BJP leaders in only current electoral cycle. He knows if a generation becomes deeply distrustful of existing political institutions, that is a long-term problem for any ideological movement, such as of RSS. Outreach now can prevent that alienation from becoming permanent.
That is why Bhagwat tried to make distinction between the BJP and the RSS approaches, though the BJP needs electoral support from RSS, which has a broader ideological and social role. One should not interpret Bhagwat’s comment as anti-BJP because he never said that the government was wrong, the police were wrong, the protestors were right about everything, the BJP should change its polices or that Gen Z should oppose the government. Instead is prescribed for dialogue, reform, and consensus. Political sophistication of his statement is obvious.
He emphasized, though indirectly – you can protest, can question authority, can demand change, and still you can be patriotic. The messaging to Gen Z is subtle. RSS works in this way, that is know to the insiders. RSS believes that such stand helps the organization. It is their experience in the past. It prevents the RSS/BJP ecosystem from losing young people who may be uncomfortable with confrontational politics but are still receptive to ideas of nationalism, cultural identity and social responsibility.
Bhagwat has also given a clear message to the BJP leaders and the leaders of the RSS family that do not let other opposition political parties mobilize Gen Z against us, and also don’t alienate them from us. His rhetoric make distinction between the RSS family and the BJP government, thought both are closely connected. When BJP leaders losing credibility, Bhagwat’s comments are calculated to preserved credibility of the RSS, only to rescue the BJP when time comes.
The shrewdness of the RSS politics is clearly seen in Bhagwat’s statement, who even when creating distance does not create confrontation with the BJP leadership. He did not directly attack PM Modi or BJP government. He simply said – Gen Z should be trusted, Protest is legitimate, genuine grievances should be heard, dialogue should produce solutions, and protestors should not automatically be called anti-national.
Bhagwat knows that Gen Z is difficult to be “own” politically. Gen Z is different because they can support one issue and oppose another without feeling obliged to adopt and entire ideological package of any political party. They can’t be taken for granted through communalism, casteism, or any political ideology whatsoever. Bhagwat therefore had to say, “I trust Gen Z blindly” to establish trust with Gen Z before RSS can step ahead for their ideological persuasion.
Bhagwat’s concern is about RSS-BJP generational strategy and it was reflected in his comment. His comments may look like criticism of the PM Narendra Modi’s politics, but these are framed in such a way that can ultimately benefit the BJP and the entire RSS family. (IPA Service)
