Parents, veterans become allies, walk with the youth
Times of India | 25 July 2026
Kolkata: A German Language professor, Supriyo Saha, took the morning train from Bolpur to Howrah with his wife and son to join the NEET protest “at any cost”. Being a teacher, Saha felt it was his “duty” to “encourage” the young generation and ensure they have a bright future.
Even though Gen Z were the forerunners of Friday’s protest, people like Saha became their allies in amplifying their dissent. It became a crossover, with activists who were part of movements like Reclaim the Night and veteran protesters who were part of the CAA-NRC stir joining the cause.
A member of Reclaim the Night Women Trans Queer United, Satabdi Das (42), has forgotten the count of protests she participated in. On Friday, too, she and the platform walked down from Sealdah to Esplanade as “allies”.
“The corruption in the education system and privatisation are issues in the entire country. In this movement, the students are going to be on the forefront. It was good to see many students who were at a protest for the first time. They were not associated with any party but were part of the protest because they share the cause,” Das said.
Social worker Suman Sengupta (53) has been participating in rallies since his college days. “Friday’s rally was one of the biggest that the city has seen in recent times. Though it was called by Leftist students’ organisations, the participation was spontaneous and beyond any political ideology. What gave me hope was the large participation of young faces, many first-time voters. It is a glimmer of hope as they are asking the right questions of the govt amidst divisive narratives,” he said.
Dramatist Chandan Sen said he joined the protest in response to the “tyranny” of the central govt. “They will get the answers. The younger generation will be answering them,” said Sen.
Feroz Ahmed Gazi, an architect from Budge Budge, came to the protest with his wife, a lawyer. “I had come home for lunch, and it was an impromptu decision. We wanted to be part of a protest where we could stand with Gen Z. It is important we back their demands today or there won’t be any future left for them,” Gazi said.