'I will trust Gen Z blindly': RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat backs students' right to protest, says youth should be heard

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday made a strong pitch for trusting India's younger generation, saying he would "trust Gen Z blindly" and insisting that students have every democratic right to protest if they are seeking to improve the system.

Speaking at an event, Bhagwat said he did not have complete information about the recent clashes between protesters and police, but maintained that his confidence in young people remained unchanged.

"I will trust Gen Z blindly," Bhagwat said, adding that he believed in the intentions and aspirations of the country's youth.

Trusts Gen Z, defends right to protest

Calling protest a legitimate part of democracy, Bhagwat said dialogue and discussion are essential to resolving grievances, especially in the education sector.

"Democracy is a way to make consensus after discussion. Grievance is genuine, and a lot has to be improved in our nation's education system. So dialogue is important," he said.

Drawing a contrast between generations, Bhagwat said today's youth are more willing to question authority than previous generations and seek logical answers with empathy.

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"We never used to question authorities, but Gen Z and Gen Alpha question authority and want logical answers, that too with love," he said.

He said he would never discourage young people from protesting, provided democratic avenues remain available for them to express their concerns.

"I will never say that Gen Z should not protest, but there should also be a way given in democracy. We need to see that if youth is shouting, it is not for opposing but for improvement," Bhagwat said.

He added that there are shortcomings in the system that need to be corrected and stressed that students have the democratic right to raise their voices in pursuit of reforms.

'Today's generation should Be heard

Bhagwat also cautioned against branding protesting students as anti-national, urging people to approach the younger generation with empathy.

"There should be a feeling of compassion and understanding. Today's generation is the most honest generation. They should be heard and felt heard," he said.

Referring to reports of tear gas and pellet guns being used during protests, Bhagwat said he did not have verified information about the incidents and therefore could not draw conclusions.

"If I had to believe, I will believe Gen Z. But we do not know the reality. Both of us are conversing on the basis of information available through reports. There has also been reports of some anti-social modules present in this movement. But then we cannot talk without authentic information," he said.

Education needs reform, not commercialisation

Turning to education, Bhagwat said the sector should not be treated as a commercial enterprise and called for greater community participation in improving schools and learning outcomes.

"Education is not a commercial business. Community help can improve the education system. Financial burden of education is huge. We need to be vigilant, active and need to assess the system regularly. We also need to train our teachers. It is not just the government's responsibility to educate but it is a social responsibility," he said.

Backing the long-standing demand to allocate 6% of the national budget to education, Bhagwat said improving the education system requires collective social effort, not just government intervention.

"Demand of 6% budget allocation for education is old. But only government does not run schools. We as an organisation also strive hard for education and learning. There should be a social spirit awakening for education," he said.

Reiterating his support for democratic dissent, Bhagwat said protests should not automatically be viewed as acts against the nation.

"A protest does not become anti-national simply because people take to the streets," he said.

Extending his remarks to both Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Bhagwat said he remained confident that younger generations genuinely wanted to contribute positively to the country's future.

On Pakistan, China and conflict

On relations with neighbouring countries, Bhagwat said citizens should stand with the government's decisions during times of conflict while avoiding permanent hostility.

"In times of conflict, we have to go with what the government does. Pakistan and China are two examples. The Indian solution holding back differences when dealing with conflicts. Permanent hatred is not the solution. It is not that Pakistanis are whole-heartedly our enemies and not even all Indians. Humanity is to be one," he said.

On LGBTQ 

Bhagwat also addressed LGBTQ issues, saying members of the community are part of Indian society and should be accommodated within its social framework.

"They are also part of our society, and we have a tradition to accommodate them," he said.

However, he distinguished between marriage and companionship, arguing that marriage is a social institution rather than merely an arrangement between two individuals.

"Marriage is not a convenience to just live together, but it is a unit of society. The trend in families is to create good citizens. We need to have some system first. If existing systems are disrupted without creating new systems, then there will be consequences," he said.

Emphasising that laws evolve from society, Bhagwat said, "Law does not dictate society but society dictates law."

He added that while he did not support same-sex marriage, society should create a framework to recognise same-sex companionship.

"We have to devise a system where not same-sex marriage, but same-sex companionship should be accommodated," Bhagwat said.