Web Desk: Social media posts claiming that Indian student protesters at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar praised Pakistan’s Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir have spread widely online following the ongoing weeks-long youth-led protest movement.
The viral posts alleged that students referenced Pakistan’s military leadership while reacting to recent India-Pakistan tensions and the military confrontation dubbed “Bunyan-un-Marsoos” in Pakistan. No credible evidence has emerged to substantiate those assertions, and organisers of the student movement have consistently maintained that their campaign focused on domestic education issues.
The demonstrations at Jantar Mantar began as a protest against alleged examination paper leaks and broader concerns over India’s education system. The movement, spearheaded by youth activists under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), expanded into nationwide protests demanding accountability, education reforms and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Thousands of students staged sit-ins, marches and hunger strikes over several weeks, arguing that repeated examination irregularities had undermined confidence in India’s competitive testing system. The protests drew support from students, job seekers and opposition politicians, becoming one of the biggest public challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government during its third term.
The protests ended after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister on July 25, with the government also agreeing to several demands, including education reforms, compensation for families affected by the examination controversy and assurances that protesters would not face legal action. Demonstrators celebrated the announcement at Jantar Mantar before formally calling off the agitation.
Against that backdrop, several social media accounts began sharing posts claiming that some protesters expressed admiration for Pakistan’s army chief or made remarks related to recent India-Pakistan hostilities.
Throughout the demonstrations, organisers repeatedly described the campaign as a movement focused on education reform, examination integrity and government accountability, while urging supporters not to allow unrelated political narratives to overshadow their demands.
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