“Democracy will run from streets, not from elections” : Says Founding President of Swaraj India Yogendra Yadav

THE YOUTH-LED PROTEST happening in India’s capital territory New Delhi has taken the entire nation by storm. The protest, initially helmed by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding for accountability over the NEET paper leak and seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, has evolved to become a much larger dissent within the public. After the CJP’s “Chalo Sansad” protest march held on July 20, 2026, took a downturn, with instances of police brutality and retaliatory attacks from protesters, public sentiment seems to have changed regarding the protests.

Amidst all this, Indian politician and activist Yogendra Yadav weighed in on CJP and its protest over the NEET paper leak. In a video clip posted on social media platform X, Yadav highlighted the CJP-led protest march to the parliament. He remarked he had been repeatedly warning about the future of democracy in the country. Yadav said the democracy will be functioning not by the parliament or by the elections, but instead it would be decided “by the streets” and by resistance and protests. 

“I've been saying this for a long time. The future of democracy in this country will not be determined by the Parliament, it will be decided from the streets. It would be determined by elections, but rather by resistance. On July 20 [202], we saw a small glimpse of the same,” Yogendra Yadav stated in the X post.

See also: Who Is Sher Singh? Uttarakhand Constable Resigns on CJP Protest Stage in Jantar Mantar, Police Say He Was Already Suspended

Additionally, Yogendra Yadav also wrote a column for the Indian Express, wherein he termed the CJP protest as a “new turn in democratic politics.” In the write-up, Yadav described the Jantar Mantar protest as India’s “Occupy moment.”

He praised the protest’s scale, diversity and spontaneity, calling it an example of an “organic mobilization” that had bypassed conventional party machinery. He further argued that the Opposition’s political focus must increasingly shift towards a “politics of resistance.”

Who is Yogendra Yadav?

Yogendra Yadav is an Indian politician, activist, and psephologist. He is a founding member of Swaraj Abhiyan and Jai Kisan Andolan. He was the founding National President of Swaraj India, a registered political party. He is also the National Convener of the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan.

This isn't the first time Yogendra Yadav has remarked upon protests in India. Previously, he has passed similar remarks about the protest against the Citizen’s Amendment Act (CAA) in Shaheen Bagh, and on the farmers’ agitation of 2021.

Social Media Reacts to Yogendra Yadav’s Comments

Yogendra Yadav seemed to have sparked an explosive debate with his statement, as many users have expressed their anger and dissatisfaction over his remarks in the comments section of the X post. Some have alleged that Yadav is trying to promote anarchy with his comments, while others pointed out how the politician has made similar remarks about previous protests. 

See also: “Who Committed the Mistake of Giving You a License?”: CJI Pulls Up Lawyer for Filing FIR Against PM Modi and Amit Shah in Connection with CAA

One person called for Yogendra Yadav’s arrest over his remarks, and wrote: “This Person is the first who should be arrested and his video should be kept as proof saying democracy will be decided on the streets & not by votes. Good for nothing andolan jeevi from CAA protest to farmers protest to CJP protest !!! He is a threat to the nation. Arrest him.”

“This person has been trying to foment trouble for the past twelve years in various capacities & from different platforms. Allegedly his antecedents are highly suspicious. How can he advocate for anarchy in a nation where representatives are elected by the public to the Lok Sabha,” read another comment.

A third comment read: “Then it is mobocracy and not democracy which this thug wants.”

(Proofread by Anshika Verma)

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