00:00Now the fact is that the Kokhrut Janta Party protests have found an echo beyond the political sphere.
00:06As the debate intensifies, leading film personalities, even cricketers, sportspersons are backing the students
00:12and are calling for a fairer and more transparent education system.
00:16From Salman Khanuf, initially called the paper leaks a serious issue,
00:20Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, Mamuti, R. Madhavan, Diljeet, Dosanj, all voicing their support.
00:26Actors including Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj and Swara Bhaskar have visited the protest site
00:32and then you've got the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Abhinav Bindra who've also expressed their concern.
00:38So lots of celebrities speaking out.
00:39Now I don't know whether he's a celebrity or not but he's certainly a best-selling author.
00:44Chetan Bhagat is someone I spoke to earlier today.
00:49He writes often about the dreams and disillusionments of young Indians in his books.
00:53Chetan, how do you see what is being described as this Gen Z digital revolt?
00:58Are you surprised by what you've seen happening over the last week?
01:05There's a bit of surprise in everyone but it can be explained.
01:10It's an explainable surprise.
01:12Firstly, the anger was always there.
01:14The NEET issue, the paper leaks issue was even an issue in the Lok Sabha 24 election.
01:19It was just not highlighted as one of the top ones.
01:22Even when the BJP performance went down, other factors were ascribed.
01:27But the youth discontent was never cited as a main reason why the BJP lost seats.
01:35Now, what is surprising is the extent of the spread of this.
01:40And that has happened because people felt this generation will never leave their phones.
01:45They will never come out.
01:47They are addicted to their phones.
01:49They are all digital warriors.
01:52They will never come on the streets.
01:54However, they did this time.
01:56And then the government gave them a gift.
02:00A content gold they gave them, which is images of Delhi police cops, full, you know,
02:08hatta-katta cops wearing riot gear, visor helmets, armor gear to protect themselves.
02:16And Danda after, like, kids, some 16-year-old girls also.
02:21I mean, you wake up to that, that has to trigger a huge emotional response.
02:28And that's what exactly happened.
02:30These, there were some people who came for the protests.
02:33It was, it was like many other protests in the country.
02:35It wasn't that big.
02:36But this lati charge on the kids led to extremely viral moment, which then the kids started going.
02:43Then they said, if I post on Instagram, my followers love me.
02:46I get likes and so on and so forth.
02:48So, the real, regeneration reels became gen real.
02:54And then from real, they are now also making reels only.
02:56It doesn't mean that the issue is not real, Rajdeep.
03:01It doesn't mean they don't have a valid issue.
03:03But this is a gift they got of content.
03:05Because this generation loves content.
03:07And the content this protest is generating is of the insane virality, extremely sticky and entertaining.
03:12But can I just stop you for a moment?
03:15Because I, you know, you mentioned the word Instagram.
03:18I was on our Hindi digital program, Lallantop's Neta Nagari.
03:22I was asked by the anchor what I thought had changed between this protest and previous ones I've covered over
03:2735 years.
03:28And I said, Instagram's role.
03:30The ability for anyone to have the power to put out a 30-second powerful video.
03:34The video then goes viral.
03:36Do you believe that's one of the big changes?
03:38Instagram has become a powerful weapon of protest to bring all these groups together.
03:46Instagram and particularly one feature in Instagram called Instagram Reels, which is the short form video.
03:51In which, A, within three seconds you have to grab attention.
03:54Second, it has to be something very dramatic.
03:58Like somebody eating 100 burgers at the same time.
04:00It could be anything like that.
04:01Something crazy.
04:02Something very, very unfair.
04:05Something very out there.
04:06Like 100 people, Indians dancing on the Eiffel Tower.
04:10Crazy like that.
04:11In this case, big cops hitting teenagers.
04:16Whoa.
04:17Like that is, and why?
04:19What do the teenagers want?
04:20They didn't want more reservation.
04:22They didn't want money.
04:23They didn't want jobs.
04:24They just wanted fairness.
04:25And they're getting beaten up.
04:27Like it will be an explosion.
04:29And so Instagram compared to X or Twitter, the difference is it needs a video.
04:34It needs emotive content.
04:37And this protest generated that.
04:40And it continues to generate that.
04:41Now more kids are going.
04:42This weekend you wait and watch the level of participation that will come.
04:46The exponential growth function people underestimate.
04:49You know.
04:50So this weekend will be insane.
04:52And yeah, it is all Instagram driven.
04:54So let's Chetan compare this with what we saw during the Anna agitation.
04:58Because you were there to support Team Anna.
05:00That was 2011.
05:01What's the difference between 2011 and 2026?
05:04What has changed?
05:09What has changed is there is data.
05:11Very cheap, fast internet.
05:13And so you and I have seen the same video in the matter of hours.
05:18We've probably seen the same videos on the protest.
05:20We've seen the same video.
05:21It wasn't so fast in 2011.
05:23So it's like for the governments.
05:26I really want to be constructive.
05:28They have to act very fast, very strong, very dramatically.
05:35Not lip service, not tokenisms.
05:38Because every hour they delay this, the more this spreads.
05:43It's only gone to a few cities.
05:45It's like Anna movement was well attended.
05:48But people tell me in Delhi the crowds are much bigger than what they were in Anna movement.
05:53Okay, Mr. Bhagat, let me give you your insta moment.
05:57I'm giving you 30 seconds, max a minute.
06:00If you had a message for this young, restless, impatient, angry generation,
06:06what would that be?
06:07Give me a message for them here today.
06:11That's why, you know, we are not of that generation.
06:15But all I would, I mean, if you just give me 30 seconds,
06:18I'll say it's very brave of you that you guys are doing this.
06:21That you guys are, you guys make us all proud.
06:24We all love you.
06:25All our old people.
06:26Yes, you guys judge us.
06:28You say we are old millennials or whatever, Gen X, baby boomers.
06:32But, you know, we were also Gen Z once.
06:35And it's nice to see that you have the same spark,
06:38what we had in our generation.
06:40And don't forget, you love Instagram and call yourself Gen Z.
06:43But don't forget which generation made Instagram.
06:47Let me leave it there, Chetan Bhagat.
06:49Maybe you need to now write a book that addresses this Instagram generation.
06:55Certainly, I have been struck by the manner which over the last week,
06:59we've seen Instagram reels simply proliferate the creativity,
07:03the anger, the humor at times.
07:05And maybe all governments now need to understand and start engaging with Instagrammers.
07:12Next time, when someone says the word cockroach, don't run away.
07:17Engage with the cockroach.
07:19There's a lesson there.
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