Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the Jantar Mantar protests may well be remembered less for its politics than for its tone.
At a time when the political atmosphere had turned deeply acrimonious, with videos of abusive slogans against the Prime Minister and even his late mother dominating social media, Modi chose not to respond with anger. Instead, he chose forgiveness.
In Indian politics, where confrontation often invites a sharper counterattack, the decision stood out. Rather than demanding exemplary punishment for every protester, the Prime Minister argued that many of those involved were young people who had made mistakes and deserved an opportunity to learn from them. It was a conscious attempt to separate misguided youth from those responsible
for violence, replacing the language of retribution with that of reform.
Equally significant was the way he chose to deliver that message.
For more than a decade, Modi has addressed the nation with the now-familiar “Mere pyare deshvasiyon”, a phrase associated with formal national addresses and major policy announcements. This time, he looked into the camera and simply said, “Hi friends.”
The greeting was informal, conversational and unmistakably aimed at a younger audience. It reflected an evolving communication strategy in which the Prime Minister is increasingly speaking directly to India’s digital generation through Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts instead of relying solely on rallies, television or traditional speeches.
The timing was deliberate.
The country had spent days watching political tempers escalate over the protests in Delhi. Videos of offensive slogans and personal abuse had sparked widespread outrage. The expectation in many quarters was that the government’s response would focus almost entirely on punishment and legal action.
Instead, Modi adopted a different political register.
While condemning the language used by sections of the protesters, he appealed to society not to treat every young participant as an enemy.
“Children make mistakes” was the essence of his message. The responsibility of society, he suggested, was not merely to punish but also to guide.
His analogy was equally revealing. Sometimes, he said, our teeth accidentally bite our tongue. The tongue bleeds, but we do not break our own teeth because both belong to the same body. In one sentence, he sought to redefine the relationship between the state and agitating youth—not as adversaries but as members of the same larger family who must eventually move forward together.
That formulation closely mirrors the distinction emerging from the Supreme Court.
While hearing petitions related to the protests, the apex court observed that genuine students participating in demonstrations should not face coercive action merely for protesting. At the same time, it made it clear that those involved in violence or attacks on police personnel must face the law. The court effectively separated peaceful participation from criminal conduct.
The Prime Minister’s message follows a similar line. Students who were misguided deserve guidance. Those responsible for violence deserve punishment. Forgiveness, in his telling, is not a substitute for the rule of law but a distinction between youthful error and criminal intent.
Politically, that allows the government to occupy two positions simultaneously—projecting firmness against lawlessness while avoiding the perception that every protesting student should be criminalised.
But there is another layer to this story.
The message itself was delivered entirely through social media. That choice underlines the next phase of Modi’s political communication strategy. Over the years, he has repeatedly adapted to changing modes of public engagement—from mass rallies to radio through Mann Ki Baat, and from Twitter to live digital interactions. Short-form vertical videos now appear to be the latest evolution.
Instead of expecting young Indians to tune in to lengthy speeches or television debates, the communication is increasingly designed for platforms where attention spans are measured in seconds. The language is conversational, the videos are mobile-first, and the messaging is direct.
The strategy is already showing results. Over the past week, the Prime Minister’s short-form videos have collectively generated massive engagement across digital platforms, with over a billion views, while his Instagram following has grown sharply.
More importantly, these videos are no longer confined to political messaging. They are being used to explain government decisions, answer questions and announce policy initiatives, including the formation of a national reforms task force headed by Nandan Nilekani after the examination paper leak controversy.
Taken together, the latest outreach reveals two parallel shifts. One is political: responding to provocation with forgiveness instead of escalation. The other is communicative: replacing the formality of “Mere pyare deshvasiyon” with the accessibility of “Hi friends”.
Neither change appears accidental. Both reflect an attempt to connect with a younger electorate that increasingly consumes politics not through television broadcasts but through smartphone screens. In that sense, Modi’s latest message was not just about forgiving a section of protesting youth. It was also about speaking to an entire generation in its own language.
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