RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at an interaction with ‘Gen Z’ in Mumbai NEW DELHI: Calling Gen Z and Gen Alpha more “honest” than adults RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday rejected attempts to brand protesting youngsters “anti-national,” and said they have “an honest feeling of patriotism.” He described protest as a legitimate form of democratic dialogue and said their questions must be answered with logic, affection and a sense of belonging.By the end of the freewheeling exchange, the 75-year-old had also picked up a new expression from his young audience — “clock it” — and tried it out before the cheering crowd, adding a lighter finish to a conversation that ranged from student protests and reservation to social media, LGBTQ rights and relations with Pakistan and China.The interaction, held as part of IIMUN’s 15th anniversary celebration in Mumbai, was driven by questions from Gen Z and Gen Alpha delegates on issues ranging from education and jobs to reservation, social media and the right to protest.“I feel that this new generation — Gen Z and Gen Alpha — is more honest than our existing generation. There is an honest feeling of patriotism and service in them,” Bhagwat said, adding, “They are not anti-national. They are our own people, our next generation,” . The exchange came against the backdrop of recent Gen Z-led protests over examination irregularities, education and jobs.Bhagwat said young people today were unlike earlier generations that often accepted what elders told them without question. “They ask questions. They want logical answers, and along with that, they want affection,” he said.“I feel this new generation — Gen Z and Gen Alpha — is more honest than our existing generation. The honest impulse of patriotism and service is stronger in them,” he added.Bhagwat said protest should not be treated as the opposite of dialogue. “Protest is also a way of dialogue,” he said, describing it as a democratic means of building consensus. An agitation, he added, should seek to correct the system rather than target individuals or deepen divisions.Asked about allegations of lathi-charge and pellet firing on young protesters, Bhagwat said he did not have enough verified information to reach a conclusion. “I place my trust in Gen Z,” he said.Bhagwat backed the longstanding demand to allocate 6% of the Budget to education, saying, “The demand is justified. It should be implemented.” He also argued that education should not be treated as a commercial business.Turning to social media, Bhagwat warned against trusting content without checking authentic sources, particularly when technology could produce fake images, voices and videos. Influencers and public figures, he said, must recognise their responsibility because lakhs of people may imitate them.Turning to affirmative action, he said reservation must continue as long as social discrimination remained. “Those who have received its benefit and whose condition has improved should give up that benefit for others,” he said. Bhagwat also referred favourably to sub-categorisation so that the benefits reached those still left behind, and blamed politics for creating “bad blood” over a measure intended to promote social unity.The discussion also moved to LGBTQ rights. Bhagwat said the community was part of society and must be accommodated, but favoured wider debate on a legal framework for same-sex companionship rather than an immediate change to the institution of marriage.He also said people-to-people relations with Pakistan and China could be paused during war or terrorism but should not be permanently severed. “Permanent enmity is not the solution,” he said.The discussion also turned to jobs, with Bhagwat arguing that employment should not be reduced to salaried or government work. Entrepreneurship, skilled work and self-employment were equally valid, he said, calling for the restoration of “shram pratishtha”, or dignity of labour. Society, he added, must stop ranking occupations as high or low and accord equal respect to anyone earning honestly, whether through farming, manual work, private employment, government service or a small enterprise.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAsked why the RSS remained a male organisation despite describing women as equal partners in nation-building, Bhagwat said men and women were “equal and complementary” and should receive the same training and opportunities. He said the Rashtra Sevika Samiti functioned independently with the RSS’s support, while women working in public organisations were invited to the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha and participated in its decision-making process. He also indicated that organisational integration could be considered if the women’s organisation itself sought it.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Not Enemies’: Rijiju Meets Rahul Gandhi Over Sansad Logjam, Reacts To Amit Shah Statement DemandAtiq Ahmed’s Youngest Son Abaan Dies In Jhansi Road Accident, Conflicting Accounts Emerge Over Crash‘Youth Wants CJP To Become Political Party’: Dipke, Saurav Das Announce ‘Kya Bolti Public’ CampaignBombay HC Convicts Tehelka Founder Tarun Tejpal In 2013 Sexual Assault Case; Reverses 2021 AcquittalThe Bankipur Effect: How One Bypoll Has Put BJP’s Upper-Caste Strategy Under The SpotlightSupreme Court Frees Man After 22 Years In Jail, Overturns Wrong ConvictionJPSC-JSSC Protesters Hold Tiranga March In Ranchi Ahead Of Aug 10 Assembly Gherao Over Leak RowKanpur-Lucknow Expressway Toll Suspended After Road Slippage, NHAI Acts Against Contractor’It’s My Moral Call To Be Here’: Author Nilotpal Mrinal Joins Ranchi Student ProtestMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Apologises Over PM Modi Video Row, Admits Paid Content Boosting123PhotostoriesRakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani look straight out of modern-day ‘Ramayan’ in regal Gopi Vaid ensembles10 trendy three-letter baby names with beautiful meaningsYour 50s could decide how many years you live without dementia: Study says controlling 3 midlife health risks may add up to 12.6 healthy brain yearsJacqueline Fernandez proves charcoal is the new black in a show-stopping Manish Malhotra ensembleNo parenting book can prepare you for this: 7 powerful lessons every parent only learns through experienceNot everything you were taught was meant to set you free: 8 beliefs every woman needs to unlearn to finally live life on her own terms5 simple ways to reheat pizza so it tastes fresh again: Which method works best and why5 subtle signs the universe is preparing you for a new beginningInside Nagma Mirajkar’s dreamy Mumbai home: A massive living room, a balcony with stunning views and more10 money habits you should learn in your 20s to build long-term wealth123Hot PicksSaurav DasDelhi rainAbhijeet DipkeRRB ALP CBT 2 answer keyTN Agriculture BudgetTASMAC OnlineAnkur WarikooUPI transactionsGold rate todayTop TrendingAkhilesh YadavNagpur Rape CaseAbhijeet DipkeTasmac Liquor Online PurchaseJPSC ProtestNagpur Rape CaseDelhi Wife MurderAkhilesh YadavTamil Nadu BudgetPraveen Nettaru Murder Case
NEW DELHI: Calling Gen Z and Gen Alpha more “honest” than adults RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday rejected attempts to brand protesting youngsters “anti-national,” and said they have “an honest feeling of patriotism.” He described protest as a legitimate form of democratic dialogue and said their questions must be answered with logic, affection and a sense of belonging.By the end of the freewheeling exchange, the 75-year-old had also picked up a new expression from his young audience — “clock it” — and tried it out before the cheering crowd, adding a lighter finish to a conversation that ranged from student protests and reservation to social media, LGBTQ rights and relations with Pakistan and China.The interaction, held as part of IIMUN’s 15th anniversary celebration in Mumbai, was driven by questions from Gen Z and Gen Alpha delegates on issues ranging from education and jobs to reservation, social media and the right to protest.“I feel that this new generation — Gen Z and Gen Alpha — is more honest than our existing generation. There is an honest feeling of patriotism and service in them,” Bhagwat said, adding, “They are not anti-national. They are our own people, our next generation,” . The exchange came against the backdrop of recent Gen Z-led protests over examination irregularities, education and jobs.Bhagwat said young people today were unlike earlier generations that often accepted what elders told them without question. “They ask questions. They want logical answers, and along with that, they want affection,” he said.“I feel this new generation — Gen Z and Gen Alpha — is more honest than our existing generation. The honest impulse of patriotism and service is stronger in them,” he added.Bhagwat said protest should not be treated as the opposite of dialogue. “Protest is also a way of dialogue,” he said, describing it as a democratic means of building consensus. An agitation, he added, should seek to correct the system rather than target individuals or deepen divisions.Asked about allegations of lathi-charge and pellet firing on young protesters, Bhagwat said he did not have enough verified information to reach a conclusion. “I place my trust in Gen Z,” he said.Bhagwat backed the longstanding demand to allocate 6% of the Budget to education, saying, “The demand is justified. It should be implemented.” He also argued that education should not be treated as a commercial business.Turning to social media, Bhagwat warned against trusting content without checking authentic sources, particularly when technology could produce fake images, voices and videos. Influencers and public figures, he said, must recognise their responsibility because lakhs of people may imitate them.Turning to affirmative action, he said reservation must continue as long as social discrimination remained. “Those who have received its benefit and whose condition has improved should give up that benefit for others,” he said. Bhagwat also referred favourably to sub-categorisation so that the benefits reached those still left behind, and blamed politics for creating “bad blood” over a measure intended to promote social unity.The discussion also moved to LGBTQ rights. Bhagwat said the community was part of society and must be accommodated, but favoured wider debate on a legal framework for same-sex companionship rather than an immediate change to the institution of marriage.He also said people-to-people relations with Pakistan and China could be paused during war or terrorism but should not be permanently severed. “Permanent enmity is not the solution,” he said.The discussion also turned to jobs, with Bhagwat arguing that employment should not be reduced to salaried or government work. Entrepreneurship, skilled work and self-employment were equally valid, he said, calling for the restoration of “shram pratishtha”, or dignity of labour. Society, he added, must stop ranking occupations as high or low and accord equal respect to anyone earning honestly, whether through farming, manual work, private employment, government service or a small enterprise.
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Asked why the RSS remained a male organisation despite describing women as equal partners in nation-building, Bhagwat said men and women were “equal and complementary” and should receive the same training and opportunities. He said the Rashtra Sevika Samiti functioned independently with the RSS’s support, while women working in public organisations were invited to the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha and participated in its decision-making process. He also indicated that organisational integration could be considered if the women’s organisation itself sought it.
