Don't need your certificate: Priyanka Gandhi to Mohan Bhagwat over Gen Z remarks
Don't need your certificate: Priyanka Gandhi to Mohan Bhagwat over Gen Z remarks
M.U.H
07/08/202619
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday hit back at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over his remarks backing Gen Z protesters, saying young people "don't need a certificate" from him, even as she accused the Centre of failing to take responsibility for the police excesses during the July 20 paper leak protests.
Responding to Bhagwat's comments in support of Gen Z and student protesters, Priyanka told reporters in the Parliament House complex, "They don't need a certificate from Mohan Bhagwat ji."
She also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that he was "afraid" and avoiding Parliament in the wake of the controversy over the police action against students protesting the paper leak issue.
"He should come, give a statement. What is the issue with that? Something wrong happened, so take responsibility," she said.
Bhagwat, addressing around 2,000 members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha at the 15th anniversary event of India's International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) in Mumbai on Thursday, had defended the younger generation, saying their concerns were genuine and they should not be branded "anti-national" for protesting.
Calling protest a legitimate form of democratic dialogue, the RSS chief said disagreements should ultimately lead to consensus rather than deepen divisions.
"If Gen Z members are agitating, they are not anti-national; they are our people. It is our next generation. You need dialogue and rapport with them," Bhagwat said.
He added that if people's concerns were not addressed through dialogue, they might resort to protests, but the objective should remain consensus-building rather than confrontation.
"The Gen Z grievances are genuine and I believe in their honesty," he said.
Bhagwat also stressed the need to strengthen India's education system and advocated increasing public spending on education to 6 per cent of the country's GDP.
His remarks came against the backdrop of the recent agitation by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the NEET paper leak, which culminated in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The BJP-led Centre has also faced criticism from several quarters over its handling of the July 20 student protests in New Delhi, during which demonstrators police excesses.
