'Gen Z Is Not Anti-National': Mohan Bhagwat Says Students' Concerns Were Genuine

Published 6 August 2026 · local

News india 'Gen Z Is Not Anti-': Mohan Bhagwat Says Students' Concerns Were Genuine 'Gen Z Is Not Anti-': Mohan Bhagwat Says Students' Concerns Were

News india 'Gen Z Is Not Anti-': Mohan Bhagwat Says Students' Concerns Were Genuine 'Gen Z Is Not Anti-': Mohan Bhagwat Says Students' Concerns Were Genuine Published By, Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 19:26 IST RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Gen Z should not be labelled anti-national, calling them India's next generation, urging dialogue with young people during an event at Mumbai's NMACC. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Gen Z should not be labelled "anti-national", describing young people as India's next generation while calling for greater dialogue during an event at Mumbai's NMACC. (IMAGE: YouTube) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said members of Gen Z should not be labelled “anti-national", describing them as “our own people" and “our next generation", while calling for greater dialogue between the government and young people.

Speaking during an interaction at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai, Bhagwat said the concerns of young people should be addressed through engagement rather than alienation. “Anti-national to hai nahin, apne log hain. Apni next generation hai (They are not anti-national. They are our own people. They are our next generation)," Bhagwat said when asked about protests involving Gen Z. He stressed that dialogue should precede confrontation, saying a stronger relationship between institutions and young people would have enabled both sides to better understand each other’s concerns. “I have spoken about dialogue before. There has to be a relationship first. When that relationship exists, there is dialogue. We understand their concerns and they understand ours. That is what should happen," he said. Bhagwat also rejected the notion that Gen Z and Gen Alpha were less committed than previous generations, saying his experience had been quite the opposite.

“Whenever I have been asked about them, I have said this, and I repeat it today. I believe this new generation—Gen Z and Gen Alpha—is more honest than our existing generation. It has a stronger feeling of patriotism and service," he said. His remarks came in response to a question on whether young protesters are often branded “anti-national" despite raising issues they believe are important. Bhagwat’s remarks came in response to a question from the moderator, who referred to the wave of youth-led protests that followed the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and broader demands for reforms in the country’s examination system. The protests, which began over the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, later expanded into a wider movement seeking greater accountability and culminated in then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.