Modi Advocates Forgiveness for Students Behind Protest Abuses
WHO:
News18 - The 15-year-old student who apologized for her remarks against Modi described his forgiveness as giving her "a second life."
Hindustan Times - A girl booked for allegedly using abusive language against Modi during a protest at Jantar Mantar identified herself as "just 15 years old" in a viral apology video, despite the FIR identifying her as 25.
Al Jazeera - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Al Jazeera - Radhika Kumar, a 21-year-old student at Delhi University
Al Jazeera - Arun Srinivas, head of Meta India
Bloomberg Markets - Indian youth and students involved in the Cockroach protest movement
WHAT:
News18 - The student claimed she was influenced by the atmosphere at the protest and alleged she has been receiving threats, stating, “I am receiving threats from unknown numbers. Someone leaked my mobile number.”
News18 - The police case against the student has not yet been withdrawn, and she mentioned that police have been searching for her.
Hindustan Times - The girl stated in her apology video, “I came under the influence of some people at the protest and said a lot of bad things against the Prime Minister.”
Al Jazeera - Modi's government introduced a bill in parliament proposing longer prison terms and higher fines for those involved in exam paper leaks.
Al Jazeera - Modi stated he forgives students who hurled expletives at him during protests, describing them as “misled children.”
Al Jazeera - The Cockroach protest movement emerged after a crucial exam was voided, affecting over two million students.
Al Jazeera - The protests ended after the Modi government agreed to all demands, including the resignation of the education minister.
Al Jazeera - Hundreds of students were arrested in various states despite the government's commitment to drop police cases against protesters.
Al Jazeera - Modi's government proposed a bill to amend legislation governing public examinations, suggesting longer prison terms and higher fines for exam paper leaks.
Bloomberg Markets - Modi opposed punishment and court proceedings for the young protesters, stating “children make mistakes.”
WHERE:
Hindustan Times - The protest where the girl made her remarks occurred at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Al Jazeera - Protests occurred in New Delhi and other cities across India.
Al Jazeera - The protests were particularly intense in New Delhi, where demonstrators clashed with security forces.
WHEN:
Al Jazeera - The Cockroach protest movement began in May.
Al Jazeera - The protests ended after the Modi government agreed to the protesters' demands.
WHY:
News18 - The student expressed that she felt she was provoked by people at the protest, saying, “I did not use those words unknowingly. I was provoked by people there.”
Al Jazeera - Modi expressed disappointment that "our daughters" had used abusive language during the protests, indicating a cultural shock regarding the language used by young women.
Al Jazeera - The protests were sparked by the voiding of an exam due to leaked questions, leading to significant unrest among students.
HOW:
News18 - The student recounted that she was told by others at the protest that she had the freedom to speak, which influenced her remarks.
Al Jazeera - The protests began as a social media campaign and evolved into a mass movement mobilizing tens of thousands of supporters in New Delhi and inspired similar protests in cities across India.
Al Jazeera - The protests began as a social media campaign and evolved into a mass movement mobilizing tens of thousands of supporters.
(UPDATED August 2, 2026 09:53 UTC)
A 15-year-old student who recently apologized for her comments about Modi described his forgiveness as giving her "a second life." She claimed that the atmosphere at the protest influenced her remarks and has since been receiving threats, stating, “I am receiving threats from unknown numbers. Someone leaked my mobile number.” Despite her apology, the police case against her remains active, and she mentioned that authorities have been searching for her.
--
(UPDATED August 1, 2026 22:16 UTC)
A girl, who identified herself as "just 15 years old" in a viral apology video, was booked for allegedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Modi during a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, despite an FIR listing her age as 25. In her video, she stated that she came under the influence of others at the protest and expressed regret for her remarks, while Modi expressed disappointment over the language used by young women during the protests. Meanwhile, Modi's government has introduced a bill in parliament aimed at imposing longer prison terms and higher fines for those involved in exam paper leaks, reflecting ongoing concerns about educational integrity.
--
(UPDATED August 1, 2026 13:24 UTC)
Indian Prime Minister Modi has expressed forgiveness for students who protested against him, labeling them as "misled children" after the Cockroach protest movement emerged due to the voiding of a crucial exam that impacted over two million students. The protests, which began as a social media campaign and grew into a mass movement, resulted in hundreds of arrests across various states, but ultimately ended when the government agreed to all demands, including the resignation of the education minister. In response to the unrest, Modi's government is proposing a bill to amend public examination legislation, which would impose longer prison terms and higher fines for exam paper leaks.