India’s Modi says he forgives students who abused him in Cockroach protests

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the aftermath of the Cockroach protest movement, which emerged as a significant political challenge during his third term. The demonstrations originated in May following the cancellation of a crucial examination due to leaked questions, forcing over two million students to retake the test the following month. What began as a social media campaign advocating educational reform through viral content evolved into a substantial mass mobilization, drawing tens of thousands of participants across New Delhi and inspiring similar demonstrations in cities throughout India.

The movement, named the Cockroach Janta Party after a Supreme Court chief justice's characterization of unemployed youth and activists, ultimately succeeded in pressuring the government to accept all protester demands. These concessions included the resignation of the education minister and a government pledge to forgo criminal prosecution of demonstrators. However, state authorities governed by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party subsequently filed cases against hundreds of protesters following violent clashes with security forces and incidents involving abusive language directed at the prime minister.

In a video statement released on social media, Modi described the protesters as misled youth requiring redirection rather than punishment. He acknowledged that "disgusting expletives" targeting himself and his deceased mother were used during demonstrations, yet expressed willingness to forgive the participants. Modi emphasized that prosecution, legal proceedings, and social ostracism would not resolve underlying issues.

Despite Modi's stated position, his political supporters engaged in online harassment campaigns targeting female protesters, including minors, with rape and death threats while demanding criminal action from local authorities. Student activists criticized the prime minister's response as selective accountability, noting that government supporters had engaged in sustained online abuse of women while the administration pursued cases against demonstrators in violation of its earlier commitment. Tensions during the protests included confrontations between demonstrators and security forces in multiple locations, with New Delhi witnessing tear gas deployment, pellet shotgun use, and baton charges against individuals attempting to march on parliament.