While enough has been written and podcasted about the first ‘Gen Z protest’ in India, these are my own notes from the protest, based on what X’s algorithm pushed at me.
- The news farming didn’t happen in a planned way, like what happened during the Jan Lokpal protests at the same venue years ago. It happened due to thousands of phone cameras and social platform algorithms. Going forward, all social media platforms will come under the scanner of every government – Indian or international – that wants to control the media.
- In line with the BJP government’s need to control the narrative, alongside controlling the algorithms or the platforms, another tool the government(s) will deploy is communication disruption and blackouts – protests or agitations cannot come up in a snap; they need to be very well coordinated and/or planned, or else the mob will take over.
- For the BJP, Modi is the iron fortress that needs to be propped up – internationally more than in India. For any cause to succeed, the opposition or the protesters need only hint that they are going after Modi, and then anything and anyone becomes expendable.
- The disjointed and micro issues brought out showed that the anger went well beyond education – religion-based segregation, unemployment, wage inequality, and inequality. Every misadventure, misstep, and atrocity of this government is getting noted by the next-gen voters; it is just not being responded to. This shows that there are so many simmering issues that the opposition can tap into to win the next election, if they do not split the remaining 63% of the vote, that is.
- There is a complete collapse of the BJP and Modi-propping support ecosystem – the IT cell, BJP MPs and MLAs, TV news-anchor cheerleaders, and the “WhatsApp uncle”. More than being abused, they are getting joked about and mocked, which really brings down their morale. The turncoats do not have a face to show. More people are unlikely to join, and if the BJP doesn’t keep this vocal pot boiling, the chinks begin to show. Modi’s aura has been stripped away, not just within the BJP but also among the bhakts. The BJP’s future is at stake, given that a good chunk of the educated next generation is not going to vote for them now.
- There is no counter-narrative to the issues the young are facing – education, jobs, the environment, and their future!
- TV media has lost all its credibility, and print media is irrelevant. Everything is getting documented on video online now. Actions cannot be covered up. And what comes online is not restricted to one city, district, state, or country.
- Law, the judicial system, and law enforcement are fronts used to intimidate and suppress. More importantly, the judicial system, law enforcement, and police actions led to this escalation – right from the CJI’s comment that made the CJP to the standard cop playbook. More importantly, the CJI, Justice Surya Kant, is a liability for the BJP. He has lost his opportunity to get a plush, prominent post-retirement job.
- Social works – for cause mobilisation or product sales.
- A. R. Rahman still rocks. Put his music to a visual, and it can move millions.
- Peaceful protests still rock!
