NEW DELHI (AP) 鈥� For weeks, waved signs and his government and rallied under an unlikely name: They secured a concession few have extracted from Modi during his more than 12 years in power: a cabinet minister’s resignation.
Modi has been one of India鈥檚 most dominant prime ministers in decades, winning elections while cultivating an image of decisive leadership. His government has rarely been seen to yield to public pressure.
Dharmendra Pradhan last month, however, was a notable exception, experts say. Pressured by the 鈥淐ockroach鈥� movement, the concession underscored the rising political influence of India鈥檚 population under 25, which makes up nearly half the country, and a shift toward digital-first organizing.
鈥淭his particular round has ended in a very important defeat for Mr. Modi,鈥� said Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst who wrote a Modi biography.
Mukhopadhyay said the minister鈥檚 resignation has made people less fearful of protesting against a government that critics have long accused of suppressing dissent.
鈥淭he threshold of fear has been broken. People are no longer scared to go and step out and protest,鈥� he said.
The movement wants to be a watchdog, not a party
The protests began as a satirical movement in May with a single demand: the education minister鈥檚 resignation over leaks of exam papers that can determine a young person’s fate.
But as protests spread, driven by young, urban Indians who mobilized online and on the streets, they evolved into a broader call for accountability, tapping into frustration over youth unemployment, government transparency and the handling of public institutions.
Mukhopadhyay said it was the first time student-led protests had sustained enough momentum to force the government to concede their central demand without the backing of established political parties.
鈥淓ach one had their own little grievance about life not taking them anywhere,” he said.
It is uncertain whether that energy can be converted into votes against Modi鈥檚 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Saurav Das, a spokesperson for the Cockroach Janta Party, said the movement reaffirmed the power of public pressure in a democracy.
鈥淎n arrogant government which did not blink for 12 years was forced to blink when the youth united,鈥� he said, reiterating that the group wants to remain a public watchdog rather than become a political party.
鈥淲e want to remain a pressure group,鈥� he said.
The movement forces Modi to make Gen Z outreach
The movement appears to have prompted adjustments inside Modi鈥檚 party.
In the weeks since the protests, Modi has increasingly appeared in short, vertical videos tailored for Instagram and other platforms popular with young voters.
His party has expanded its outreach to Gen Z through online campaigns, with some party lawmakers adopting youth slang in public appearances, including speeches in Parliament. Many of India’s cabinet members are 60 or above.
It marks a shift from the protests’ early days, when Modi and his government largely dismissed the movement as insignificant. But as demonstrations attracted larger crowds, the government was forced to acknowledge them and respond to their growing influence.
Since the education minister’s resignation, Modi has also spoken of forgiving those who had mocked the prime minister, an apparent effort to reconnect with younger audiences.
Mukhopadhyay said the movement鈥檚 biggest impact was challenging the perception of Modi as a leader largely insulated from public pressure.
鈥淭hat image of Mr. Modi is heavily tarnished,鈥� he said.
Some Modi supporters have doubled down, however, with online activists aligned to Modi鈥檚 party seeking to identify protesters and share their personal details online to intimidate them.
Other officials could become the movement’s target
Solidarity protests were held in several other cities, while to demonstrators camped in New Delhi .
Opposition leaders, rights activists and some Bollywood celebrities publicly backed the movement, helping amplify its message beyond the protest sites.
For Neha Bora, who took part in a hunger strike in New Delhi, the movement showed that ordinary citizens could still hold those in power to account.
鈥淚f they (ministers) do not serve the people of this country, no matter what cabinet minister they are, they will be brought down from their seats,” she said.
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Associated Press journalists Rishi Lekhi and Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to this report.
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