PM Modi Tells Ministers to be Active on Instagram and Post Reels

Gen Z and Instagram became the biggest driving force behind the CJP protests.

During the CJP protests, social media, especially Instagram, became one of the biggest tools used by young people. Instead of spreading information through long speeches or documents, many protesters shared short videos, reels, memes and posts that quickly reached millions of people online.

Many protesters recorded everything happening around them using their phones. Some made "What's in My Bag for the Jantar Mantar Protest?" videos, while others shared "Get Ready With Me" reels before joining the protest. Some even posted workout videos with funny captions like, "Going to get beaten by Delhi Police."

Several videos from the protest went viral. One protester recorded himself while police were chasing him, and many social media users compared it to the popular game Subway Surfers. Even after being detained, some protesters continued making vlogs, taking selfies, singing songs and sharing their experiences from inside police buses.

Many people also attended the protests wearing costumes. Some dressed as Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, the Hulk and even Mahatma Gandhi. Another viral video showed a person dressed as a cockroach giving an interview while lying on the road.

Another widely shared video showed a protester claiming that whenever the police moved towards the crowd, protesters started singing the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, or Vande Mataram, after which the police stopped advancing. However, this claim has not been independently verified.

Because of these videos, many young people no longer saw Jantar Mantar as a frightening place. Instead, it appeared to them as a place where ordinary citizens had gathered to raise their voices.

During the protests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also became more active on Instagram. He posted two reels within 24 hours about the NEET issue. One of the reels received more than 303 million views within 24 hours, making it the most-viewed Instagram Reel at the time. It also helped him cross 100 million Instagram followers, with around one million new followers added overnight. At the time this report was prepared, the reel had crossed 395 million views.

In the video, PM Modi said the government understood the seriousness of the NEET paper leak, had arrested those responsible and was taking strict action to protect students. The next day, he posted another reel thanking young people for watching the video and sharing their suggestions.

Soon, social media was filled with memes. Some users joked that Instagram had changed from showing CJP protest videos to showing Gen Z users calling PM Modi names such as "Pookie PM", "Kuchupuchu", "Cutuuu" and even "BF". Others praised the improved quality of his second video, saying he had taken feedback and understood how to connect better with young people.

According to reports, PM Modi later advised Union Cabinet ministers to connect more with young people through Instagram. During a Cabinet meeting, he reportedly said that since crores of young people use Instagram every day, ministers should not only post updates about the government's work but also interact with users by creating engaging reels and content. He said that if the government wants to reach young people, it must communicate on the platforms they use the most.