Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 7: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday reacted sharply to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks supporting the concerns raised by Gen Z protesters, saying young people do not require any certificate from him.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament House complex, Priyanka Gandhi said, “They don’t need a certificate from Mohan Bhagwat ji,” while responding to questions about Bhagwat’s comments.

She also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of avoiding Parliament and demanding that he make a statement on the alleged police action against students during a July 20 protest over the paper leak issue.

“He should come, give a statement. What is the issue with that? Something wrong happened, so take responsibility,” she said.

Bhagwat, while addressing the 15th anniversary event of the India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) in Mumbai on Thursday, had backed the concerns raised by Gen Z and said their protests should not be viewed as anti-national.

He said grievances of young people were genuine and stressed the need for dialogue between generations. Bhagwat said protests are a legitimate part of democracy and can help build consensus through discussions.

“If Gen Z members are agitating, they are not anti-national; they are our people. It is our next generation. You need a dialogue and rapport with them,” Bhagwat said while addressing around 2,000 members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

The RSS chief also called for greater attention towards the education sector and suggested increasing government spending on education to 6 per cent of GDP.

Bhagwat said that when concerns are not addressed through dialogue, people may turn towards agitation, but the ultimate aim should be to find solutions and build consensus rather than create divisions.

His remarks came amid political debate over the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protests against the NEET paper leak issue, which resulted in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The government’s handling of the protests, particularly the July 20 march towards Parliament in New Delhi that witnessed clashes, has drawn criticism from opposition parties and other groups.