Gen Z activism in spotlight at SPPU

Banners of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), placards demanding fairness in the education system, chants of ‘I am cockroach’, and the Indian Constitution to fall back on — that’s what Thursday’s peaceful protest by and for youngsters looked like at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) campus.Thousands of youngsters, many of them students affected by the recent examination paper leaks, united to question the failure that affected the NEET and FTII entrance tests, as well as the CBSE exams this year.

ADDRESSING ISSUES THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANSBesides the huge participation from the youth, specifically Gen Z, the protest also stood out for its peaceful approach.

Engineering student Vedant Lande added, “Everyone has just been playing blame games and nobody in the system is taking accountability.

We are not hooligans who are here to create any ruckus or violence. We are here just to address our issues through peaceful means.”Abhijit Dipke, founder of CJP, also appealed to parents to encourage students to voice their concerns and participate in discussions around issues affecting education. Among those present at the gathering was activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk, who applauded the youth choosing ahimsa to protest.