Majority of Indians Want Police Action Against Abusive Language in CJP Protests: C-Voter Survey

THE COCKROACH JANTA PARTY (CJP) led youth protest was one of the most consequential demonstrations that the nation has seen in these past few years. Not only did it result in the resignation of the then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, it also forced the Modi administration to re-assess its strategy as to how to converse with Gen Z, referred to as those born between 1996 and 2010. Amidst rising sentiments as the CJP protest gained momentum and mass support, instances of some youth using vulgar language and making objectionable comments — particularly towards Prime Minister Modi — emerged. This issue received condemnation from both political leaders and from netizens. A Zero FIR was filed against a girl who hurled abuses towards PM Modi, while social media platforms like X were directed to remove abusive posts against the PM and security forces made during CJP protest.

Protests like the CJP one works best when people feel sympathy for the cause. A new C-Voter survey suggests that using abusive language or objectionable content on social media can hurt that sympathy, even if the protestors' demand is fair. 

C-Voter, or the Centre for Voting Opinions and Trends in Election Research, is an independent international public opinion polling and market research agency. It tracks political trends, conducts pre-poll and exit polls, and analyzes socio-economic public sentiment 

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C-Voter conducted a survey in the aftermath of the CJP protest, asking participants about their preferences in terms of reforms. Findings of the C poll survey are based upon responses of 1,349 respondents aged 18+ across India. Political preferences of the participants, based upon the recent elections, were also recorded. The survey was conducted via computer assisted telephonic interviews conducted between July 29-30, 2026.

C-Voter Survey: 54.2% Back Police Action on Abusive Content 

One of the most telling responses by the participants pointed towards a new reality — a clear majority across all political supporters believed that police action should be taken against those who use abusive language and objectionable content on social media. Answering the question “Should the police take action against protestors using abusive language and objectionable content on social media?” a total of 54.2% of participants responded “yes.” 

This statistic suggests that using vulgar language and objectionable content might be counterproductive for protests. More than half the people surveyed want some kind of check on how protest content is shared online, not just on what protests are demanding. The main point to be deduced from the survey is this — most people, across different political views, do not think abusive language should be treated as a normal or acceptable part of protest. 

This suggests that abusive language does not just risk trouble with the law, it risks losing the public sympathy that gives protest its power in the first place. 

Should the Government Charge the Protesters? What the C-Voter Survey Reveals

Responding to the question “should the government charge the protestors?” A large portion of respondents backing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance (NDA), believe that tight scrutiny of all the registered FIRs should be undertaken before any decision or action is taken. 

In contrast, most opposition voters want a complete withdrawal of the FIR filed against the protestors. The overall sentiment regarding this question is pretty much balanced, with responses across all political preferences spread across “withdraw all FIRs” (35.5%) and “probe all FIRs before taking a decision” (33.8%). A small portion of participants, 7.4% responded “cant say,” while 23.3% said only FIRs that were filed against peaceful protestors should be withdrawn.

Beyond the Protest: Will Public Support CJP on Other Issues? 

Now that the protest over the exam paper leaks have concluded, resulting in Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, what's next for CJP? Do they still have the popular appeal and the support of the masses? Another question in the C-Voter survey reveals where the public support with CJP stands at.

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C-Voter asked the respondents a simple question: are they likely to support CJP on other issues as well? Overall, 50% of people said yes, they would back CJP on other issues too. 29% said no, and 21% were not sure. So exactly half the country is open to giving the group wider backing. That is a real base of goodwill, but it also means the other half is either against it or undecided.

PM Modi Remains Most Popular Leader Among Youth: C-Voter Survey 

The CJP protest initially demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks and other lapses in India’s education system. Over time, the protesters’ ire shifted onto PM Modi regarding his inability to sack Pradhan from his cabinet.

Yet, the C-Voter survey points reveal a different ground reality — Narendra Modi remains the most popular leader among the youth. 39.8% of the participants chose PM Modi as the “most popular leader among the youth today.” Rahul Gandhi emerged as another youth-favorite leader, garnering the support of 27.9% participants. Though not technically a political leader or an officially-registered political party as of yet, the CJP received 12.6% votes.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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