PM Modi Says 'I Want to Forgive Them':

Reaction to Abuse Faced During Jantar Mantar Protests

Report By Y-Trendz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for forgiveness rather than punishment for the young protesters who used abusive language against him and his late mother during recent demonstrations at

Delhi's Jantar Mantar, in a message shared through a video on his Instagram account on Friday, August 1.

The Context: Weeks of Student-Led Protests

The remarks come against the backdrop of a prolonged agitation that has gripped the capital since June. A series of demonstrations took place at Jantar Mantar between June 6 and July 25, 2026, initiated by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-based satirical political movement, along with left-wing student organisations including the All India Students Federation, All India Students Association, and Students' Federation of India. The protesters' central demand was the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in that year's national examinations, particularly the 2026 NEET paper leak.

The scale of the anger stemmed from tragic circumstances. Days after NEET 2026 was conducted, the exam was cancelled following reports that questions had been leaked and other irregularities had surfaced. With years of preparation wasted, at least a dozen NEET aspirants died by suicide in the days that followed, a toll that became a rallying point for the CJP's campaign.

The movement gained further momentum when social activist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike at the protest site on June 28, demanding Pradhan's resignation. The protests swelled dramatically after police forcibly removed Wangchuk from the site and effectively detained him in a government hospital, prompting him to break his 26-day fast only after receiving government assurances that authorities would be held accountable for the exam system's failures. Amid the pressure, Pradhan tendered his resignation on July 25, a major climb-down that took many Indians by surprise, given that this is not a government known to back down easily.

The Abuse Allegation and FIR

It was during the height of these protests, on July 23, that the alleged abusive sloganeering against the Prime Minister took place. A 25-year-old woman was subsequently booked over allegedly objectionable remarks made during the CJP-led protest against paper leaks at Jantar Mantar. A Zero FIR was registered at Noida's Expressway Police Station on a complaint filed by a Ghaziabad-based lawyer, identifying the accused as Ruchika Singh, a woman reported to work as a hairdresser at a mall in Noida. The case was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to provoking a breach of peace, statements conducing to public mischief, and defamation, and has since been transferred further.

Modi's Message: 'Guide Them, Don't Punish Them'

In his Instagram video address, PM Modi said the country and the world had witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar, where "some mischievous children" used derogatory and crude language that does not befit a civilised society. He went further, revealing that the abuse extended beyond himself. He stated that he was personally abused, and that even his late mother was subjected to abuse during the episode, which he described as an "ugly spectacle."

Rather than call for legal consequences, the Prime Minister took the opposite stance. He said that punishing the students, dragging them through court proceedings, or subjecting them to social harassment would not change the situation, and declared, "I want to forgive them. Society, too, should accept this."

Modi used an evocative metaphor to explain his reasoning. He said that sometimes one's tongue gets caught between the teeth and bleeds, yet the teeth are not broken as a result, because both the tongue and teeth belong to the same body — and in the same way, these children too belong to the nation, and it is society's duty to show them the right path. He acknowledged that guiding those who have strayed is a difficult task, but one that must be undertaken nonetheless.

The Prime Minister also placed the incident in a wider cultural framing. He remarked that it was a "cultural shock" that the nation's daughters were resorting to such abusive language, while still appealing to all young people to come forward and learn from their mistakes. He urged the children involved to learn from what happened and strive for a better future as they move forward with the nation.

A Broader Political Moment

Modi's conciliatory tone comes at a moment when the CJP-led movement, having already forced a ministerial resignation, is being watched closely for its next steps. Observers note that this is not a government that backs down easily, and the education minister's exit is seen as a significant concession — with speculation that the protest's youth leadership may look to convert its momentum into a more formal political vehicle going forward. Modi's forgiveness message, addressed directly to "misguided" young protesters even as legal proceedings continue against at least one individual, appears aimed at cooling tensions and reframing the narrative around the still-unfolding student movement.