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Lack of fear: How Gen Z protest is different | South Central 85

This week on South Central, Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss the Jantar Mantar protests, police violence, and the nationwide surge in resistance. They are joined by Smita Sharma, Nikita Saxena, and Kavitha Muralidharan.

Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna

Published:24th Jul, 2026 at 6:21 PM

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss the protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and the police violence unleashed on the protestors. The violence has injected new life into the Cockroach Janta Party’s resistance, with gatherings happening across the country. They are joined by journalists Smita Sharma, Nikita Saxena, and Kavitha Muralidharan.

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Dhanya first asks Smita about her experience covering several protests, including the Ramlila Maidan one in 2011.

“India is no stranger to protests. Many of them have been happening beyond the national capital, but the ones at Delhi are the ones getting highlighted. But what has changed, of course, is the government’s response. Since 2014, there is a deeper sense of fear and anxiety in people. Now, the trigger was the forcible removal of Sonam Wangchuk from the protest site. When people poured in on the 20th, for the Sansad march, there was a lot of despair and anger. The lathi charges showed us the ‘Kashmirisation’ of Delhi, with pellets being charged at protestors and journalists. Despite this brutal force, we can see students stepping back and coming back again with more strength. I was hoping there is no use of firearms. But the protests as such were very organic with no internet for the CJP also to coordinate it,” says Smita.

Pooja says several people have been defending the Delhi Police. “But the videos showed almost gleeful officers attacking protestors. What do we make of this thuggish behaviour of the policemen?”

Nikita says that she was at the protest on the 20th.

“By around noon, the area where I was, a short while away from the press club, there was a lot of jostling and sloganeering. Up until then, the slogans were not directed against Modi, but in favour of protecting the nation. But after the violence by the police, there were anti-Modi slogans. With no provocation, tear gas was used. Someone told me that it is not like they used a light hand while hitting protestors with lathis; old men and women were hit, including this particular man in his late 50s or early 60s, who was beaten. The internet was jammed, and people were not sure about where to go. Whether or not there was glee, there was a lot of ferocity from the police,” she explains.

Smita says that this protest also has shown the erosion of fear of repercussions.

“The youngsters had come and decided that they would march to the Parliament. The first lathi charge happened when Chandrasekhar Azad and Mahua Moitra came in. The shelling and the violence triggered a huge spiral among the protestors. The slogans were so defiant, unlike anything we have seen on the streets of northern India. Most protestors also spoke about vote chori and other issues beyond the NEET paper leaks. The protest memes and posters are also hilarious and very, very defiant. The Opposition also understood that there is a collective sense of despair they must address, or people will remain subdued,” she adds.

Kavitha says that in Tamil Nadu as well, the protests are intensifying.

“Jantar Mantar protest is about the irregularities in NEET. In Chennai, the CJP protestors have been saying that NEET itself should go away, and that it is structurally unequal. It is an amazing thing to see so many youngsters coming out and speaking up,” she says.

She further says that the Delhi protests remind her of the Jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu.

“It was organic, but people did not just come for Jallikattu but to raise various grievances. I see similarities at Jantar Mantar, and it has become bigger than CJP and Wangchuk. At Balanellam in Tamil Nadu, there were DMK workers and CPM workers facilitators. For me, this is a very revealing protest, and it is happening in the north after a huge delay. Tamil Nadu has been protesting NEET after a student suicide, and we have been asking for the exam itself to be scrapped. That is a very important demand, and it may take time for that demand to resonate across India, but I think it will,“ Kavitha adds.

The panel also delves into the right-wing media narratives, journalists being attacked and more.

Tune in to this discussion here.

Audio timecodes:
00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:08 - Headlines

00:08:01 - CJP protest

00:56:59 - Media attacked

1:15:40 - Recommendations

References:

Exclusive | Outlook Reporter Suffers Pellet Wounds During Police Crackdown On CJP Protest

20th July Sansad Chalo Protests I What I Saw On The Ground

Why Dharmendra Pradhan won’t resign | Let Me Explain 150 | Pooja Prasanna

Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Gitanjali Angmo Exclusive : 'Dharmendra Pradhan Should Resign' | CJP Protest