New Delhi [India], August 7 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direct interaction with the youth, calling it a "positive development" and saying that young people are the future of the country.
Speaking to ANI, Shinde said, "We are witnessing the Prime Minister's direct interactions with the youth, which is a positive development. As Mohan Bhagwat rightly says, the youth are the future of our nation."
This comes in the wake of high-profile youth-led agitations--most notably the extended demonstrations at Delhi's Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanding accountability and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over paper leak and NEET-related controversies. Following the minister's resignation and subsequent resolution of core issues, the protesting students moved forward.
PM Modi has recently adopted a direct communication format on Instagram, sharing self-recorded video messages on issues concerning the youth, including examination reforms and public service initiatives.
Simultaneously, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat made prominent statements addressing Gen-Z dynamics, emphasising that youth agitations and protests can act as a legitimate form of dialogue in a democracy rather than being outright anti-national.
Bhagwat said that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are more honest than the existing generation and respond to a sincere appeal for patriotism and service.
Bhagwat, speaking at an event in Mumbai on Thursday, said the younger generation has a different approach from the older generation and seeks logical reasoning.
While acknowledging the vitality of the younger generation as the future of the nation, Shinde lashed out at opposition parties. He accused them of bypassing parliamentary discussions during an active session and instead exploiting student-led movements merely to push their own political agendas.
"The House is currently in session, and that is where the discussion should take place. Initially, there was a demand for Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, and he did resign. The protesting youths have since moved on and returned to their respective pursuits," Shinde said.
He alleged that the Opposition was avoiding a substantive discussion in Parliament and instead trying to politicise the issue.
"However, the Opposition is only interested in playing politics, seeking to further their own political agendas by using the youth as a front," he said.

Earlier in the day, Deputy CM Shinde and other Shiv Sena MP's met PM Modi during his visit to Parliament and discussed issues concerning Maharashtra, including the state's development and the rainfall situation.