Aruna Roy on CJP protests: Overcome fear, frighten opponent

Veteran activist Aruna Roy, co-founder of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), praised the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests over examination irregularities for removing the fear of speaking out. In an interview with The Federal, she said the youth-led movement broke the binary political language and used mockery of the prime minister, with songs and short videos as creative tools. Roy noted that despite government attempts to take down social media content, 35-40 new posts appeared for each removal.

Roy contrasted the CJP campaign with the RTI movement, which required days of protest to communicate its message and involved political education about constitutional rights. She said student movements have been suppressed through incarceration and threats, calling the 'dimagi Naxal' label a signature tune of the current era. Roy admired the students for not being scared of tear gas or batons, stating, 'The moment you overcome fear, you frighten the opponent.'