New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party-led (CJP-led) protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi may have culminated with the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. While, common sense dictates that the government was left with a bloody nose while the Gen-Z and the youth scored a major victory, it is time to take stock of who won and who lost – and by how much.WinnersStudents and Gen Z: The protestors at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere were young students, mostly below the age of 30. This generation knows no bounds, is fearless of authority, is more adept at manoeuvering in and out of challenging situations and has no filters, especially while dealing with those it hates or whose authority it doesn’t accept. What started as a joke or a meme christened CJP quickly turned into a serious nation-wide resistance against a government that it views as dictatorial and unresponsive. Most of those protesting are not easily cowed down.Also read: What the World’s Gen Z Uprisings Tell Us About India’s OwnFor them Muslims and other minorities are not enemies. They will fight over burgers and vacation spots not religion or politics. They also know that not everything that comes their way via Whatsapp messages is true. So when they decided to take on the might of the government, there could only be one loser. In doing so, they created their own anthem of protest.Digital media: With the legacy media, especially the TV news channels, facing a complete erosion of its credibility, the protestors reposed its faith in the new-age media like digital media and other sources like Instagram. Facebook and Twitter are passé. Memes are their weapons of choice. Why waste 500 words ridiculing the prime minister or anybody else in power when the purpose is better achieved through a meme or a poster? For most of the protestors, godi media is only a term to describe the TV channels. That none of them watches any debates on TV is a different story altogether. Jantar Mantar could well be the place where big media breathed its last, only to be replaced completely by content creators and digital media creators. People hold posters as they take part in a rally held by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, unseen, and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, unseen, to celebrate the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in Mumbai on July 26, 2026. Photo: PTI/Shashank Parade.Secularism: Despite attempts by anti-social elements and self-styled protestors of Hindutva, the protests witnessed something strange: members of all communities stood as one against the government, seeking answers to some very basic but strong questions. Who will ever forget the manner in which Sikhs Gurdwaras around the protest site opened their gates to allow protestors fleeing police lathicharge and teargas shells take shelter and eat food? And, there were Hindu sadhus making an appearance at the protests to bless the students.LosersNarendra Modi and NDA government: The NDA government, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was politically a powerhouse – that is till it ran into a wall of resistance led by students. The protests have left it greatly weakened.Watch | How Effectively or How Deplorably has the Media Covered the Student Protests?Brand Narendra Modi has taken a huge hit. While the BJP may still win future elections, the government will need to introspect how long it can continue to ignore the fact that distress hitting several sections of the population can no longer be treated with inane slogans against minorities and Pakistan.Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures while addressing the media outside Parliament House on the opening day of the monsoon session, in New Delhi, Monday, July 20, 2026. Photo: PTI.The government must realise that it needs a new dialogue to engage the youth, especially the Gen Z. Empty rhetoric and one-sided Mann ki Baat won’t help. This generation wants a dialogue, not speeches. It wants to be heard and not hear. Modi would also go well to get rid of those responsible for his and his government’s media management so far and bring in those with a fresh perspective. Because, now that the Gen Z has tasted blood, it can come back anytime again, possibly in larger numbers.Delhi Police and CRPF: When the home ministry dumped the previous Delhi Commissioner of Police (CP) and appointed someone with a long stint in the intelligence system, it was expected that the protestors would be contained. Instead, under the new CP, the brutal lathicharge and use of pellet guns on peacefully protesting students turned the tide against the government. It was almost as if the police and the CRPF, which is not so adept at handling peaceful protests, had been charged with giving a fresh lease of life to the protests.Police personnel beat up protesters during a march, at Sansad Marg, in New Delhi on July 20, 2026. Photo: PTI. That the Delhi Police acted in a blatantly partisan manner was proved by the fact that while peaceful students were thrashed, anti-social elements tried to disturb peace under police protection.Higher judiciary: The reaction or the lack of it to pleas made by lawyers and civil society members to the higher judiciary to protect the students from goons masquerading as cops and protect their right to protest and freedom of expression met with silence, even disdain. The higher judiciary needs a course correction if it wants to remain relevant and instill respect and faith for itself in the minds of the common citizens. While the justice delivery system in matters pertaining to protecting the rights of the citizens can’t be a Maggi two-minute moment, it can’t even be a months-long case. Alacrity has to be the motto in such cases.Big media: Courtesy the likes of sold-out news anchors, trying to verbally browbeat the protestors by questioning their motives and their so-called foreign links, wisely denied by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the TV new channels were finally consigned to the dustbin of history at Jantar Mantar.Also read: ‘Who Gave the Order to Hit Students?’: Rahul Gandhi Writes to Amit ShahSadly, nobody even bothered to write an epitaph for these channels. While there were questions about the mistreatment of some hapless reporters by the crowds at the protest site, the blame for the same could easily be put on the anchors sitting in air-conditioned studios playing their part to besmirch the protests through misleading claims and innuendoes. Unfortunately for the government, nobody took them seriously. The government would do best to have a relook at its media plan centered on such channels that very few trust or watch. Sonam Wangchuk: After having followed the Gandhian path of fast-unto-death, activist Sonam Wangchuk, possibly pushed by his wife, struck a deal with the government.A portrait of educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk with copies of the constitution of India and other books are kept where he was earlier sitting on his indefinite hunger strike, during an ongoing protest organised by Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at the Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on July 23, 2026. Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia.If only, he had waited for a couple of more days. He may be largely remembered for having bartered away an entire movement based on his name and reputation. He could have been the one who got a minister’s scalp. However, he chose to trust the government. History won’t remember him too kindly.