MP Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated protests must have "maryada," referring to remarks against PM Modi in the NEET row. PM Modi responded by urging forgiveness for the youth, saying they should be guided and shown the right path, not punished.
'Dissent must not cross maryada': Kailash Vijayvargiya
Shedding light on the Jantar Mantar protests over the NEET controversy, Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday asserted that political dissent must never cross the "maryada" (boundaries), referring to viral videos of objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Adressing reporters, Vijayvargiya said that everyone has the right to protest, but it should be conducted with dignity. "Everyone must observe certain boundaries of propriety. When those boundaries are crossed, people's sentiments are hurt, which is why I said that everyone was distressed. I reiterate that in a democracy, everyone has the right to protest. While the right to protest exists, there are limits to how a protest should be conducted. It must remain within the bounds of dignity and propriety," Vijayvargiya said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of youth-led agitations in the national capital at Jantar Mantar. The protest culminated in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Education Minister and the passing of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament to strengthen the legal framework to prevent paper leaks.
'Forgive them, they are our children': PM Modi
Following that, Noida Police had earlier registered an FIR against a woman over allegedly objectionable comments directed at the Prime Minister during the protest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that abuses never solve anything and urged people to guide those who have gone astray. Noting that some mischievous children had used "very crude and abusive language" during the protest and he and his late mother were also subjected to abuse, he shared a video on Instagram.
He said that he fully understands the outrage within society over use of abusive language and it comes as "a cultural shock to see our daughters using such language" but asserted that there is a need to "embrace these children and show them the right path".
PM Modi said punishing the youth, dragging them through court proceedings, and harassing them in society- none of this will change the situation. "I want to forgive them. Society, too, should accept this. I hold only one sentiment in my heart. Sometimes, our tongue gets caught between our teeth and bleeds, yet we do not break our teeth; after all, both the teeth and the tongue belong to us. These children are ours, too. It is our duty to show them the right path," he said. (ANI)
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