A Nepal-like Gen Z protest could happen in India if governments fail the aspirations of the people, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao has warned.
Speaking at the NDTV Yuva Conclave on Saturday, Mr Rao, or KTR as he is better known, said protesters were mocked when the demonstrations in Nepal, which eventually led to the overthrow of the government, began.
“What happened in Nepal recently was nothing but suppression of democracy and suppression of the voice of Gen Z. Initially, even the media mocked when Gen Z was protesting… they said they were protesting internet disruptions. But they were protesting for their future,” he said.
Asked pointedly if he thought similar protests could happen in India, he replied, “If governments continue to fail them, if governments continue to fail the aspirations of the people of India, why not? Yes.”
When the same question was posed to the audience, mostly consisting of young people, and many of them said no, the former Telangana minister said, “The night is still young, let’s see.”
Addressing a session called ‘Yuva and the Art of Reinvention”, the BRS leader recounted the role his party and he played in the statehood movement for Telangana and went on to spell out what he thought the Gen Z represents.
“Restless, young, ambitious, bold, that’s Gen Z. You are truly the DIY generation – disruptive, imaginative and absolutely youthful. I would like to believe that my state, Telangana, is also a Gen Z state,” he said.