Congress MP Manish Tewari Addresses Youth Activism in South Asia
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Manish Tewari referenced the recent youth-led protests across South Asia to assert that the current generation is increasingly intolerant of entitlement. His remarks were swiftly seized upon by the BJP, which characterized them as a subtle critique of Rahul Gandhi, referring to him as the “ultimate nepo kid,” and called Tewari’s comments a sign of dissent within the Congress party.
Tewari highlighted significant political upheavals, stating, “The toppling of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka in July 2023, Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh in July 2024, KP Sharma Oli in Nepal in September 2025, and ongoing protests against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines reflect a single clear message: ENTITLEMENT IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE TO Gen X, Y, Z.” He made these remarks on X (formerly Twitter) while promoting his forthcoming article, titled The Social Media Trends that toppled or are challenging Dynasts.
In response to Tewari’s comments, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya noted that it is not only Gen Z but also older Congress leaders who are disillusioned with Rahul Gandhi’s “regressive politics.” Malviya pointed out that Tewari is part of a group of 23 Congress veterans, known as the “G23,” who had previously called for reforms within the party.
Tewari, representing Chandigarh, subsequently urged the ruling party to mature in its political discourse. He stated, “Not everything should be reduced to a Cong–BJP he-said-she-said or targeting X or Y. The phenomena occurring in South Asia and East Asia have significant national security implications that warrant serious understanding.”
Last week, Rahul Gandhi made an appeal to “Gen Z” through social media, urging youth to defend India’s Constitution. His comments followed a press conference where he accused the Election Commission of engaging in “vote theft.”
In Nepal, recent protests, primarily driven by school and college students against a now-revoked ban on social media, have been referred to as “Gen Z protests.” These demonstrations have expanded into a broader movement addressing issues of corruption, unemployment, and the influence of “nepo kids” — the politically connected children of Nepali politicians. Similarly, in Bangladesh, protests that began over a government job quota swiftly evolved into anti-establishment sentiment following a significant crackdown by authorities. Both nations are currently under caretaker administrations.
