Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he forgives protesters who insulted him during recent youth-led demonstrations that posed one of the biggest political challenges to his government in recent years.

The protests, organised by the online Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), drew thousands to New Delhi and other cities over examination paper leaks before expanding into wider demonstrations against unemployment and governance.

According to local media reports, some protesters seen in viral videos shouting insults at Modi have since faced online attacks from his supporters and police complaints. Authorities have also asked social media platforms, including Meta and X, to remove content they described as abusive or manipulated.

Speaking in a video posted on Instagram on Friday, the 75-year-old prime minister said he had chosen forgiveness over retaliation.

“The country and the world witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous youngsters hurled vile abuses,” Modi said.

“Words were used that do not belong to civilised society — directed not just at me, but even at my late mother… I want to forgive them.”

He added that “mistakes made in youth” should be addressed through guidance rather than legal action, in apparent reference to police cases linked to the protests.

The demonstrations, which began last month over examination paper leaks, later evolved into broader expressions of public frustration over unemployment and governance, eventually leading to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Since the protests, Modi has increasingly turned to Instagram to engage directly with young people. His ruling party has about 9.6 million followers on the platform, while the CJP, launched in May, has amassed more than 26 million followers.