Student protests across India have gained momentum. The youth are demanding accountability, a word not very popular in political parties. The recent movement began with the Jantar Mantar protest demanding the resignation of the education minister following the death by suicide of 17 students due to the NEET paper leak. Youngsters are now agitating against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEO) of India over the mass deletion of names from the voter list during the revision of the country’s electoral rolls known as the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR.Meanwhile, women are leading more demonstrations across the country, triggered by a horrific gang-rape near Lady Shri Ram college, a women’s college in Delhi. While the various protests hint at political awakening, it is the ways in which dissent is expressed that has caught the public’s attention. The prominence of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical online account which grew into a national movement, shows us the political discernment of young people today. Distinct ways of registering dissent emerged during the protests – taunting and rhyming slogans, mocking placards, singing and dancing at protest sites, banter with the police, dressing up as super heros, etc.Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty.“Sharam nahi hai mardon mein, aurat kyun hai pardon mein” (it’s the men who have no shame, why do women have to hide behind a veil), chanted women protesting against gender based violence and discrimination. The slogans went viral on social media as ‘vibe’, attracted support and prompted netizens to make their own versions. In Bihar, students asking the police to use water cannons for fun caught the attention of the internet. Protestors even asked the police to lathi-charge them, reportedly joking that they had ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out).A video of the crowd singing the national anthem to stop the police in Delhi went viral. Protest goers started making GRWM (get ready with me) for the protest reels. Memes became the highlight of the feed and the internet started asking for season two after the resignation of the education minister. The support and sarcasm transcended borders, with many from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh supporting the youth protests online. A viral reel template mentions “padosi mulk ka protest ek taraf aur hum bhi ussi taraf” (the neighbouring country’s protest is on one side and we too are on the same side).Many reels carried titles such as, “they are not afraid of anything”, framing the young protesters as fearless and emotionally open, wearing their hearts on their sleeves. While many understood the radicality of joy in dissent, some dismissed Gen Z as unserious, the generation which grew online and has a shrinking sense of future.‘Joy is an act of resistance’Coined by Toi Derricotte, “Joy is an act of resistance” is a relevant concept to understand here. Audre Lorde, a feminist writer and rights activist explains it further through her work that joy gives us the energy to change, “to resist the oppressive structures and status quo that make us tired and apathetic”.The perceived unseriousness in protests today is challenging the longstanding expectations that change must be burdened by heaviness, at the expense of mental wellbeing. The dissenters refused to give into the condition and turned fighting for justice into a celebration, a tradition long kept in the line of protest songs and chants. They declared that they’re not scared of water cannon or lathi-charges, turning the intimidation tools of the state into a source of laughter.The humour in demanding social justice offsets the state’s relentless strategy to drain the emotional and physical energy of protesters. It allows for the unapologetic expression of ones’ political identity. Joy is a crucial weapon for the oppressed. However, it never ignores suffering. To the contrary, it means acknowledging pain, anger and grief, while continuing the quest for justice. Protests against sexual violence in Delhi rest on anger and demands for safety, slogans turn this individual anger into a collective voice. The subtle language of taunting and mocking allows protesters to use sharp words, the artistic freedom to criticise. Rhymes are difficult to forget, and not only keep the protests energized but also invite others to join in.The issue is not how people ought to protest. Whether one dissents through satire or anger, the relevant question is what is being demanded, not how it appears. Justice and accountability cannot be won by memes alone, but if the world is scrolling, a trending reel is as great a place as any to begin. If suffering didn’t make us stop and watch, rhymes, costumes and songs might, and joy surely can. The young protestors know what they’re doing, and it’s high time we listened. After all, to borrow Cornel West’s phrase, “justice is what love looks like in public”, and joy helps sustain that love.Raman Chahal holds a degree in media, communication and development from LSE. Her master’s research explored how the media participates in the Hinduisation of Dalit identity and its implications for caste consciousness. She currently works with children with special needs.This piece was first published on The India Cable – a premium newsletter from The Wire – and has been updated and republished here. To subscribe to The India Cable, click here.