PM Modi Urges Forgiveness for Abusive Slogans, Calls for Guiding Youth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged society to forgive and guide protesters who allegedly used abusive language against him during a demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over suspected paper leaks. The Prime Minister's remarks came days after a police case was registered against a 25-year-old woman in connection with the slogans.

"What happened at Jantar Mantar has been seen by the country and the world," Mr. Modi said in a video message. "Some misguided youngsters used language that has no place in any civilised society. I was abused, and even my late mother was abused."

The protest, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, took place on July 23. According to the police complaint, the woman made objectionable remarks during the demonstration, which was part of a larger agitation against alleged question paper leaks in competitive examinations.

Despite the personal nature of the remarks, Mr. Modi said he did not believe that anger or punishment was the answer. "Abuses never solve anything," he said. "Mistakes are made in childhood, and childhood also provides an opportunity to correct those mistakes. That is what being young is about."

The Prime Minister described the protesters as "misguided children" and appealed to society to show them the right path rather than dragging them through courts. "There is anger in society, and I understand that. But now is the time to embrace these children and show them the right way. Punishing them, dragging them through courts and harassing them will not change the circumstances," he said.

He also explicitly said he wanted to forgive those responsible. "I want to forgive them. I request society also to accept what I am saying," he added. The official caption accompanying his video read: "Let's guide the misguided. Let's work together. Let's work for Bharat."

The legal case against the woman was registered as a Zero FIR at the Expressway Police Station in Noida, under Sections 352, 353(1) and 356(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These provisions relate to provoking a breach of peace, statements conducing to public mischief, and defamation. As a Zero FIR, the case was filed outside the jurisdiction where the alleged offence occurred and later transferred to the Parliament Street Police Station in Delhi for investigation.

Reacting to the police action, Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das acknowledged that some language used at the protest may have been objectionable but argued that criminal law should not be invoked against protesters over their words. "Of course, if there's any language that was used which is derogatory in nature, then the person concerned is free to pursue civil defamation and criminal defamation against the person," Mr. Das said. "However, the use of criminal machinery to go against protesters is highly condemnable and no one should be punished for any objectionable language per se."

The incident highlights the tension between freedom of expression during protests and the legal limits on speech. While the Prime Minister chose a path of forgiveness, the case continues to be investigated, and the debate over the appropriate legal response to offensive slogans remains unresolved.