'Grievance of Gen Z genuine': RSS chief defends protest as way of 'reaching consensus'

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat Thursday strongly backed the students who were protesting against NEET irregularities, saying that the "grivances of the Gen Z is genuine".Calling "protest is a way of dialogue", the Sangh supremo said: "I won’t say that Gen Z should not protest, but in a democracy there are ways of going about it".The RSS chief further said that Gen Z and Gen Alpha want "logical answers" to the questions raised by them.He also said that the "education is not a commercial business", arguing that it should be "structured in such a way that it is available for all" and that "society should also contribute to improving status of education".Earlier, Bhagwat urged parents to lead by example instead of blaming the younger generation, saying many of the challenges children face today stem from adults' own behaviour.Speaking at a programme on "Motherhood in the Current Era" organised by Vishwa Mangalya Sabha, Bhagwat said Gen Z is emotional, imitative and responds to what it perceives as genuine.He also observed that today's youth view authority figures as equals or friends, adding that questioning authority has always been a part of adolescence. Families, he said, should encourage teamwork and open communication instead of confrontation.When asked about incidents during protests where young people were allegedly subjected to lathi charges and pellet gun firing, Bhagwat said he didn't have complete information but if he had to pick a side, he would place his faith in Gen Z."Regarding such matters, we need to first understand what happened and why it happened. We need to examine the reasons behind it. I do not have all the information required to give a complete opinion on this issue, and I do not think you have the complete details either. We need to look into where exactly the problem lies," he said.Further he added: "At this moment, I cannot say what happened or who was right or wrong, because I do not have complete information. You are sharing what you have read, and I am also going by what I have read... However, if I am asked to place my faith in someone, I would place my faith in Gen Z." Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.