New Delhi: The protest called for by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar against the NEET paper leak was eventually called off following assurances from the Union government and the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. By then it had received countrywide support from the young. Just days after the protest ended, a campaign to target the young women (and in some cases, young men) who participated in it began.Using expletives uttered during the protest as a pretext, their photos and videos are now being circulated on social media, with calls to uncover their names and addresses so they can be “taught a lesson.” In some instances, legal notices are being issued. Furthermore, an FIR has now been registered in Noida against a girl – despite the government agreeing to CJP’s demand that no legal action be taken against the demonstrators.When The Wire Hindi spoke to CJP spokesperson Ratna Singh regarding the online harassment of mostly woman and girl protesters, she stated, “We were assured that there would be no harassment of any kind. I am in constant touch with the concerned officials. I have also forwarded copies of the FIR related to the Noida incident to them.”Singh mentioned that she, too, has been facing intense online harassment.‘Find her’ During the protest, agitated students raised various slogans and made statements, some of which included expletives. There are now calls for action to identify them through videos on the protests.Most of the handles making these demands fervently endorse the ruling BJP and propagate Hindutva ideology. One particular X handle, ‘The Jaipur Dialogues’, posted a photo of a young woman with the caption: “Find her; she has disrespected Prime Minister Modi.”In a separate post – without tagging the Delhi Police – the same account stated: “Delhi Police, please find her and send her to jail to teach her a lesson.” In the comments section of that post, a user posted a screenshot purportedly displaying the social media handle of the young woman seen in the video.‘Mr. Sinha’, another Hindutva X handle participating in this campaign, shared images of two young women and appealed to the public to identify them. The post urged people to find out where they live, which housing society they reside in, and where they study or work, so that their neighbours, colleagues, and classmates could be informed about their alleged “mentality.”Rahul Shivshankar, a TV anchor with the CNN-News18 group known for frequently defending the government, supported a Delhi Police notice – which sought the full name, address, contact details, and email ID of the accused individuals – and stated: “Foul language cannot be considered freedom of expression.”Many other Hindutva handles have joined this campaign; some are announcing rewards for uncovering names and addresses, while others are openly talking about teaching the individuals a violent lesson.The female protesters accused of using “objectionable language” against the Prime Minister are facing severe harassment on social media. They are being subjected to death and rape threats, and their private information is being made public. The prime minister’s late night video claiming shock at what especially female protesters were saying has added fuel to the fire.Based on a complaint filed against a girl whose photos and videos had gone viral, a Zero FIR has been registered at the Expressway Police Station in Noida under Sections 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 353(1) (statements creating public nuisance), and 356(1) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Subsequently, the case has been transferred to the Sansad Marg Police Station in New Delhi for further investigation.It has been alleged that the girl – identified as 25 years old initially – made objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the protest at Jantar Mantar on July 23. A complaint regarding this matter was filed on Wednesday. The complainant asserted that the remarks insulted the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office and could potentially incite social unrest and disturb public order.The complainant, Smriti Singh Chandel, identified herself as a Supreme Court advocate. Her social media profile indicates that she serves as the national legal head of the Hindutva group ‘Akhand Bharat Hindu Sena’.In response to this FIR, Cockroach Janata Party spokesperson Saurav Das said that while her remarks may be wrong, such legal action should not be taken against her.In a video released by her in which she is seen asking for forgiveness, the girl says that she is 15 years old – a minor.Anchor Rahul Shivshankar has argued that “abuse cannot be normalised. Freedom of expression is not an absolute right; the law permits reasonable restrictions based on various grounds, including public order. Failing to take action in such cases may lead to the encouragement of similar abusive language directed at religious communities, castes or other groups in the future.”According to him, uniform enforcement of the law is essential for preserving social harmony and ensuring public order.However, the reality is that BJP leaders nationwide have been openly engaging in abusive behaviour, from the parliament to the streets and during news channel debates, without facing any legal repercussions for their actions. BJP leaders have been seen honouring rapists and murderers by garlanding them. Pralhad Joshi, who has taken over as the education minister from Dharmendra Pradhan, previously endorsed the premature release of Bilkis Bano rape convicts in 2022 asserting that “whatever happened, transpired according to the law”.As such, the question arises whether the BJP and its supporters really take issue with the language used by the protesters, or if the underlying issue is something else.CJP spokesperson Ratna Singh said, ‘This issue extends beyond mere language or the current protest. We have always seen that whenever girls step up to participate or voice their opinions, whether at social media or during protests, they are specifically targeted. I have yet to encounter a single instance on social media where a boy has been subjected to similar abuse that is then publicised in this manner.”‘Revenge’When asked about the FIR against the girl, Ratna Singh said, ‘We have already arranged for legal support. Although we are unable to obtain her contact number from anywhere, copies of the FIR have been distributed to all our lawyers active in Noida. They are working to ensure that she receives all necessary legal assistance.’She further said, “I have sent copies of the FIR to the concerned authorities. They have assured us that action will be taken towards withdrawal of FIRs registered in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and release of those who have been arrested. I have specifically mentioned her case and pointed out that she is facing personal harassment. Officials have said that they will escalate this matter to the relevant level and will try to ensure that she is not unnecessarily harassed… Currently, we are receiving only assurances. It is difficult to place complete trust in them until we observe tangible actions. However, we have also been told that such processes take time.’At present, social media handles linked with the BJP are celebrating the legal action against the 15-year-old and are threatening to target more protesters like her.Shashi Kumar – who identifies himself on X as the ‘Co-convenor of BJP Uttar Pradesh Social Media’ and an andh bhakt (blind devotee), and whose profile cover features a photo of him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi – shared another video and wrote, “An FIR has been registered against [name redacted by The Wire]. Now, identify these three girls as well and get an FIR lodged against them. No apologies should be accepted.”The matter has not ended with this FIR. Sharing another video of the protest, The Jaipur Dialogues wrote, “Kindly inform us about anyone who abused Prime Minister Modi in this video. We will initiate legal action.”The police are also actively removing content from social media that they deem ‘objectionable’.BJP-Sangh’s hatred towards women who joined the protestRecently, Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police registered a case against T.G. Mohandas, a Hindutva ideologue and former head of the BJP’s intellectual cell. In a video posted on his YouTube channel ‘Patharika’, he reportedly said that if it were up to him, he would have shot the protesters at Jantar Mantar. In a separate video, he made extremely objectionable remarks about the women participating in the protest, asserting that leftist and secular women ‘enjoy’ being raped and would not even report such an incident.Actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut remarked about the girls participating in the protest, “Never in my life have I seen so much weirdness and ugliness in one place. Who is birthing and raising them? I call them the gutter generation. These girls can’t even become good homemakers.”She further said, “These girls flaunt the consumption of drugs and alcohol on social media as freedom. They imitate hardworking women without ever working hard themselves and are incapable of handling the responsibilities that come with having a family of one’s own.”The social media handles of the Chhattisgarh unit of BJP have targeted the protesting girls and women and calling them “Babar’s Gen-Z.” Chhattisgarh BJP has posted three such videos so far.Surya Mishra, who identifies as a member of the BJP Yuva Morcha, questioned the ‘morality’ of young women participating in the protest. Sharing a video on X, he wrote, “Make them so viral so that everyone, from their parents to relatives, from college to workplace can know how cultured these girls are.”A video of BJP MLA from Delhi Ravinder Singh Negi has also surfaced, in which he can be seen discussing with a group of people about summoning a female protester to the police station. The incident relates to the events of July 20, when there was lathi charge at Jantar Mantar, during which a girl filmed a video alleging that the temple priests prevented her from entering the temple.MLA Negi can be seen discussing with a group of people about the location of the girl. In the video, the MLA can be heard saying that she should be summoned to the police station.While the BJP and its supporters are attempting to confine the protests to mere abuses and insults, it is crucial to recall that CJP’s protests were a response to the NEET paper leak and the tragic deaths by suicide of more than 20 students. The police had committed brutality during the demonstration. There is emerging evidence indicating the use of not only batons but also pellet guns and firearms, which the government as well as the administration are trying to deny.Throughout and following the demonstration, right-wing goons assaulted and humiliated protesters in the streets. However, in the end, the Union education minister was compelled to resign in response to the students’ demands. It was agreed that discussions would take place regarding improving the examination system and education. Yet, the current situation appears to be little more than an act of revenge.CJP spokesperson Ratna Singh further explained, “A whole machinery has been set in motion against women, who are being harassed not only through online means but also in person. I don’t think that people associated with right wing groups or goons can be mobilized in this manner without receiving directives from higher authorities. This indicates that the government’s priority lies not in addressing the concerns of the people of this country, but rather in crafting a specific narrative. The government’s entire focus is on harassing women protesters and other agitators.”The campaign of targeting young women who took part in the protest started by some social media handles, has now escalated to include public representatives of the ruling party as well as the police and the administrative authorities.While the Delhi Police has sought personal information of users from X and is registering FIRs, the response to the issues concerning women’s safety and privacy appears to be limited.This incident raises a big question regarding the digital security and privacy of women protesters after protests in India.Even while the protest was on-going, women were being targeted online. On July 24, Vikram Pratap Singh, who describes himself as a ‘nationalist’, ‘proud Hindu’, ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer’ and ‘Modi devotee’ on X, has about 54,400 followers, and is also followed by former Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani, shared an image of girls participating in the protest, which was later found to be AI-generated according to an investigation by Alt News.Captioning the image, he wrote, “Is this a protest or soft porn? Make your own decision. Would you consider sending your children here?”This post sought to insult the women who were protesting and question their character. It can also be interpreted as a form of propaganda intended to dissuading women and girls from participating in the protests. Clearly, the intention is to slander the girls who joined the movement through AI generated pictures.Regarding the lacklustre response of the police against such people, Ratna Singh said, ‘I believe that the police is fully capable to take action against such people who are harassing women and protesters. Had the police wanted, they would catch such people in no time.’Is the use of expletives the problem?The core issue lies not in the use of expletives, but rather in the potential destruction of the image that has been meticulously crafted over a span of twelve years at an enormous financial cost.Analysts contend that Narendra Modi is striving to safeguard the image established over the last 12 years with the use of public funds. Data presented in Parliament reveals that between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the BJP-led central government spent Rs 5,987.46 crore on advertising, which translates to Rs 1.5 crore per day. This figure excludes the vast sums spent on lavish advertisements by BJP-led state governments, public sector undertakings, other institutions, and major industrialists.As a result, when Gen Z resorts to using expletives as a form of resistance, the government is anxious about its public image.Reflecting on this issue, The Wire editor Seema Chishti writes in an article: “The purity of the language which protects the vilest of deeds is far worse than the most abusive language by a younger generation deployed in the service of the right cause. If parliament and media functioned as they are meant to, the language would have remained parliamentary and polite.”Concluding her piece, she writes: “When angry youth speak and those in power refuse to hear them, that is when they are compelled to take to the streets and their language becomes the language of the streets. And as the events this week have shown, to quote Bhagat Singh in a different context, that is the only language the deaf can hear. Let’s hope Modi’s ears are all perked up now.”Translated from the Hindi original – which first appeared on The Wire Hindi – by Naushin Rehman.