PANAJI
The wave of student protests sweeping Delhi and other parts of the country is also finding strong resonance in Goa with hundreds, especially young people, mobilising in solidarity with climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk who is on a fast demanding Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
Two energetic demonstrations, dominated by GenZ voices, have already been held at the capital city's historic Azad Maidan on Tuesday and Wednesday where protesters slammed the use of terms like “cockroaches” and “termites” to describe youth, calling them derogatory and unacceptable.
The protesters, who were joined by prominent activist faces of Goa and politicians, also hit out at the government for the violence unleashed on students in Delhi on Monday by the police and security forces.
The move of the State administration to book an FIR against unidentified youth for protesting at the Azad Maidan on Monday without seeking prior permission has also further fuelled anger.
On Wednesday, Panaji police had registered an FIR against hundreds of "unidentified CJP supporters" for organising Monday's protest without permissions from the 'competent authority' following a formal complaint by Tiswadi executive magistrate and Joint Mamlatdar-III.
Now the momentum is also shifting to other towns with a silent protest scheduled to be held on Friday at 7 pm at the Bodgeshwar temple grounds in Mapusa.
Two days later on Sunday, another demonstration will take place in Margao, beginning at the Holy Spirit church grounds from where the protesters plan to march through the town to the historic Lohia Maidan.
Several of those part of the protests, most in their teens, told The Goan that they are protesting to echo and amplify the nationwide pushback against attempts to belittle students demanding accountability.
“We are angry, and they are determined to show we will not be silenced,” said one participant in Panaji's protest at Azad Maidan on Wednesday.
Opposition politicians have also joined in, adding pressure on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the wake of the growing momentum to the CJP protests nationally and locally the controversy surrounding the now deleted 'cockroaches and termites' social media post of former MP and NIRI Commissioner, Narendra Sawaikar.
Opposition leaders from the Congress and the AAP said, that dismissive remarks against the protesting students are irresponsible, deepen the resentment and expose the insensitivity of the BJP leaders.
The government must listen to the concerns of young people instead of undermining them, they said. The protests in Goa are being held under the banner of solidarity with Wangchuk who is on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi, and the CJP-led student protests in Delhi. Wangchuk’s campaign has become a rallying point for students and youth frustrated over repeated paper leaks and systemic failures in the education system.
Pertinently, the protests have drawn diverse participation and the energy is discernibly driven by GenZ youth evident from the placards slogans and silent marches adopted as tools of expression.
“We are here to stand with students across India. Their fight is our fight,” claimed a class XII student from a city higher secondary school who had joined the protests on Monday where he said they walked from Miramar to the Azad Maidan alongside the DB Marg.
With more demonstrations lined up in Mapusa and Margao and possibly other locations, Goa’s youth are signalling they will continue to amplify the national agitation.
