Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was forgiving students who abused him and his late mother during the Jantar Mantar protest, asserting that legal action was not the answer and that the "misguided children" should instead be shown the right path.
PM Modi posted a video message on social media, with the caption, "Abuses never solve anything. Let’s guide the misguided. Let’s work together. Let’s work for Bharat".
Opening with a direct and personal appeal, the prime minister said, "Hi friends today I just feel like talking only to you. What happened at Jantar Mantar has been seen by the country and the world.
Some mischievous children used very vulgar, abusive language.
That does not suit any civilised society. Such words were used.
They abused me; they even abused my late mother. I don’t know how ugly it all was".
PM Modi's video came a day after a zero FIR was registered at Noida's Expressway police station against a woman for allegedly using abusive language against the prime minister during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
According to the FIR, the complainant alleged that on July 23, the accused used "abusive and objectionable" language against the prime minister at Jantar Mantar, hurting the dignity of the constitutional office and with the intention of spreading hatred and disturbing public peace.
Seeking to guide young people away from what he described as being misguided and towards contributing to the nation's development, the prime minister said, "But today I want to say that mistakes do happen in childhood. And in childhood, there is also an opportunity to learn from mistakes. And that is what childhood is. And that is why, within society, I can very well understand the anger."
Calling the episode a "cultural shock", the Prime Minister said he wanted to forgive the protesters.
"I want to forgive them; people make mistakes, but this is a cultural shock that our daughters are using such abusive language," he said.
Calling for compassion rather than retribution, he said, "But this is the time to embrace these children and show them the right path. They are misguided children. It is our job to guide them.
"Punishing them, making them go around courts, harassing them in society will not change the situation. I want to forgive them. And I request society to accept this from me".
The prime minister further said, "Because the only feeling in my heart is that sometimes we accidentally bite our tongue and it bleeds, but we don’t break our teeth, because both the teeth and the tongue are ours. These children are also ours. It is our job to show them the way. Guiding those who have gone astray is difficult, but we have to do the difficult job".
Making a direct appeal to young people, he added, "And that is why, I am telling these children: children, come, let us move forward together for the country. Let us learn something new. Let us learn even from our mistakes and move forward with our dreams".
Concluding on a hopeful note, the prime minister said, "The country is moving forward, it will move forward, and your progress is also certain. That is my dream. I live for you, I work hard for your bright future.
"Come, let us take the country forward together. Thank you very much, friends. Just come, learn from your mistakes, and move forward".
The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi concluded on July 25. Thousands of student activists, joined by innovator-activist Sonam Wangchuk during his 26-day hunger strike, mobilised to express public anger over the alleged widespread competitive examination paper leaks.
Following intense demonstrations, police standoffs and a major march to Parliament on July 20, the agitation resulted in the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The CJP officially ended the protest after the government conceded to their core demands which included educational reforms.
