’Now is the time to make Delhi like Nepal and Bangladesh’

Police crackdowns and arrests of youth and protesters in the heart of the national capital in India have created widespread discontent among the general public. 

Santosh Kumar, a 29-year-old cleaner in New Delhi's Contour Place area, has said that his patience has run out after witnessing police barricades and arbitrary arrests of young people on the streets. He has strongly criticized the policies and administrative behavior of the current government, saying that the Modi government's role has become more terrible than that of the British colonial rulers.

In recent years, Nepal and Bangladesh have witnessed historic mass movements led by the Gen Z or younger generation. Under the pressure of these movements, unpopular governments in both countries were forced to step down. Citing the examples of successful movements in neighboring countries, he urged Indians to take to the streets in the same way.

Questioning the effectiveness of the government's crackdown on the youth, Santosh said that law enforcement agencies cannot stop the movement in this way. If the police detain 10 people from the street, 50 more youth will join them in a short time. He explained this resistance of the people as a natural reaction against the authoritarian mentality and expressed the opinion that the current political leadership is afraid to face the people.

Talking about political change, he has firmly claimed that the era of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's autocratic attitude is over. He also expressed optimism that this government will not last until the next general elections in 2029. He believes that change is not far off, given the growing anger among the common people in the current political and social context of the country.

Calling on the protesters, Santosh further said, "It is time to make Delhi look like Nepal and Bangladesh." He urged Indians to learn from the student and public movements of those two countries and come forward to reclaim their rights and country. He said, like in neighboring countries, only the bloody movement and unity of the people here can end unjust rule.

In recent years, the Gen Z, or younger generation, political movements in Nepal and Bangladesh have had a profound impact on regional politics. In both countries, the mass protests forced the resignation of then-unpopular governments. Now, New Delhi's disgruntled citizens are using the example of the historic change in their neighboring region to assert their political demands.

Source: Al-Jazeera.