Kochi: “It’s not possible to remain silent anymore.” With those words, young actor Mathew Thomas captured the sentiment of hundreds who gathered at Kochi’s High Court Junction on Thursday evening in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) youth movement protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Making a rare appearance at a public demonstration, Thomas said he had largely stayed away from political discussions in the past but was compelled to speak out after watching videos of the police action against students in Delhi circulating on social media. “If asked whether I have politics, I used to say, ‘No, I don’t have any interest in politics’. But seeing the things happening over the last two or three days, it’s not possible to remain silent like that,” he said.
What began as a gathering of fewer than 50 people around 5 pm quickly swelled into a crowd of nearly 400, comprising college students, tech professionals, teachers, senior citizens and prominent cultural personalities. Organised by an independent social media collective, the demonstrators assembled at the busy junction carrying copies of the Indian Constitution, placards and posters while expressing solidarity with the CJP youth movement and protesting against the alleged NEET examination paper leak and the police action against students in Delhi.
As the crowd spilled onto the busy intersection, police stepped in to regulate traffic and maintain barricades. Despite sharp and even provocative slogans targeting the Union government, the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the demonstration remained peaceful throughout.
Thomas urged young people to spread awareness peacefully, even if they could not travel to Delhi. “There are so many people among your friends or family who still don’t know what is happening right now. Explain to them peacefully why we should be a part of such a protest. Whatever protest we do, we should do it very, very peacefully without causing trouble to anyone,” he added.
Veteran environmental activist and political leader CR Neelakandan said the youth had succeeded where established political forces had failed by raising questions that could no longer be ignored. “India stands under a fascist government system of 12 years. There are big political parties and great thinkers, but the truth is that only these young children were there to ask a question that touches their very nerve. When you asked, in the heat you raised, I, including other political leaders, came to your stage because we couldn’t withstand it. You must keep asking, because now, the elders have no questions left,” he said.
Neelakandan alleged that several constitutional and democratic institutions had been systematically weakened, naming the NTA, the ED and the Reserve Bank. He also criticised the Supreme Court’s reported refusal to urgently view videos of the alleged police violence against students.
Queer activist Sheetal Shyam said the movement had grown beyond students into a broader fight for democratic values. “This is not merely a protest of the youth. This is a protest of all people in India who possess a sense of justice, humanity, and democracy,” she said.
Writer NE Sudheer described the Gen Z-led mobilisation as a return to Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of non-violent resistance while admitting that the need for such a movement reflected the failure of older generations.
The protest also gave ordinary students an opportunity to share personal experiences of the pressure surrounding competitive examinations. A BA Literature student from Sacred Heart College, Thevara, spoke about a friend who had spent an entire year preparing for NEET, staying away from his phone and even family celebrations. “When the marks came, he was really happy. It was after that we came to know that solely due to the failure of this system, that child is again going through deep depression. This is a system made only for privileged people. It is time for us to unlearn a lot of things. Even if older people are BJP supporters, it is today’s generation – the Gen Z kids – who need to explain and make them understand, because mainstream media isn’t covering any of this,” she said.
Music, resistance and solidarity
The evening also featured performances by singer Reshmi Satheesh along with Martin and members of the Oorali music band. Martin said the authorities had deliberately trivialised weeks of online and offline mobilisation for the protest. “But to question and tear down outdated systems, the youth are taking charge,” he said.
Television presenter Ranjini Haridas, who recently returned from the protest site at Jantar Mantar, described Gen Z as a generation that had transcended divisions of religion, caste and creed. Also, responding to criticism on social media over her participation, Haridas said, “I will use my freedom in the way I like! Now, if you guys want to talk about anything, then you go ahead and talk! That is your freedom. I won’t say a single thing about it. So, that’s all!”
