Smriti Irani Calls Jantar Mantar Protest a 'Machiavellian Playbook' of Political Groups
BJP leader and former Union minister Smriti Irani has said that the Jantar Mantar protest in New Delhi last month was not a spontaneous gathering of young people but a coordinated exercise involving multiple political groups. In an interview with NDTV, she described it as a "Machiavellian playbook" that was "very obvious" for all to see.
"What we saw at Jantar Mantar was an assimilation of various political groups that were presenting themselves as a pressure group. There was the ultra-left, the Left, liberal groups, the Aam Aadmi Party and some from the INDIA bloc. To presume that it was an assimilation of Gen Z is to belie the fact that is staring us in the face," Irani said.
She claimed that the protests carried a hidden political agenda. "The very Machiavellian playbook was there for all to see," she added, without offering specific evidence for her assertion.
Irani also targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that he was not interested in joining the protesters but only in creating "photo ops" for himself. "The playbook was very obvious. The Leader of Opposition was only looking for his own photo-ops to show how he is being treated," she said.
She rejected the characterisation of the Jantar Mantar gathering as representing an entire generation, pointing out that young Indians are serving the country in the Army, police, medicine, engineering and other fields. "To presume that the congregation at Jantar Mantar was a reflection of an entire generation would be to lie to ourselves and also disrespect that section of the population," she said.
Distinguishing between the Delhi protest and the ongoing demonstration in Jharkhand, Irani said the latter had been peaceful and respectful of institutions. "We are not denying the genuine grievances of Gen Z and the Prime Minister has responded to those. But at the same time we cannot ignore that 'Azadi' slogans were raised at Jantar Mantar, that institutions were abused, that the armed forces were abused," she alleged.
Responding to activist Saurav Das of the Centre for Justice and Peace, who had said that the protest-versus-protest binary was a "trap" to set one group against another, Irani said protesters who raise demands without abusing the armed forces and institutions should be commended. "Students also protested in Mumbai, Pune and other places, but there was no violence, no abuse. There was a difference in the nature of the protest. Jharkhand students have said no to controversial slogans, there has been no abusive language against the armed forces," she said.
Defending the Prime Minister's engagement with young people through Instagram videos, Irani dismissed suggestions that the protest had forced him to respond. "The PM has always been on Instagram. He has always been engaging. If the PM is responsive, why are we surprised? I would rather have a PM who responds to people," she said.
When asked about the perceived disconnect between politicians and the youth, Irani asserted that the BJP is the youngest political organisation in the world. "I am 6-7 years younger than the Gandhi siblings; I am four years older than the BJP national president. We are the youngest party," she said.
The Jantar Mantar protest, which drew thousands last month, was centred on demands related to unemployment, paper leaks and other issues. While the protest was largely peaceful, there were reports of scuffles with police and slogans that drew criticism. The government has said it is addressing the concerns of young people through various schemes and policy measures.
