Gen Z kanwariyas balance faith, jobs, and anger over NEET leak

The Story in Brief

Eighteen-year-old Abhay Tomar, a first-time Kanwar Yatra pilgrim from Atarauli in Ghaziabad, walked back from Haridwar without a smartphone or social media, unaware of the recent students' protest at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak scandal. Yet, he told The Federal that education and job opportunities for children will decide his vote in next year's Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Vinay, 22, a third-time kanwariya from the same village, called the NEET leak '100 per cent justified' as a demand for accountability.

The Kanwar Yatra has seen heightened political attention, with states like Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand rolling out state-sponsored facilities. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha told The Federal that the BJP has turned the yatra into a tool for promoting Hindutva and vote-bank politics. Delhi University professor Apoorvanand wrote in Frontline that kanwariyas now move as 'state-backed emissaries'. There have also been reports of unruly behaviour by some pilgrims.