Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he opposed punishment and court proceedings for the young protesters who marched in New Delhi and other Indian cities in recent weeks, and that he wanted to "forgive" those who abused him.
In a video posted on Instagram late on Friday, Modi said of the protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi: "The country and the world witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous youngsters hurled vile abuses." He described the protesters as "misguided children" who deserve guidance rather than punishment or prolonged legal action.
"These are misguided children, and showing them the way is our duty."
Modi said "children make mistakes" and society should forgive them for using foul language. He added: "Abuses were directed at me, and abuses were directed at my late mother as well." He said the language used by some protesters "would not suit any civilized society."
Modi said punishing the protesters or making them "run around courts" was not going to change the circumstances. The online Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) mobilised large protests in New Delhi and other cities over examination paper leaks, which culminated with the resignation of Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The protests posed the biggest challenge to Modi's government in recent years and dealt a rare political setback. Some protesters featured in widely circulated videos shouting insults at Modi have since faced online abuse from his supporters and police complaints, according to local media reports. Police also asked social media platforms, including Meta and X, to take down what they described as abusive and manipulated content targeting Modi.
Saurav Das, spokesperson for the Cockroach Janta Party, questioned: "Since when has using abusive language become a criminal offense in this country?" He alleged that police reports in such cases are being filed to "single out" people and "make an example of them."