The Cockroaches’ Protest Has Been one of the Most Positive Developments in India for Some Time.

“The youth movement consisted of many who were supporters of this government and that is significant”, says Tariq Ali, the icon of protest movements in the 1960s and after.

“This is not a movement orchestrated by China, or Pakistan, or internal opposition parties. This is a movement that has risen from below,” he said in a podcast discussion with Sidharth Bhatia.

Ali, apart from being a campaigner and activist, is also a film maker and author of novels, biographies and even a play. He closely follows global events and particularly of South Asia. His most famous book, Street Fighting Years, An Autobiography of the Sixties, has gone into multiple editions and provides a ring side glimpse of the big events of that decade.

When asked about accusations against the protesters of using abusive language, he said that it goes on in many parts of the world.

“One country where the president is subjected continuously to ridicule is the United States of America. I mean, it's difficult to go into a social network without seeing absolutely vicious and savage attacks on Trump who replies in kind.Unlike the Indian prime minister, he doesn't say, oh, I'm above all this, you shouldn't abuse me.”

The BJP and RSS too used to mock Nehru and Gandhi and no one said to them don’t do it, he said.

Speaking of global demonstrations against Israel’s bombing of Gaza, he said, “Of all the big countries in the world, the only one where there haven't been any big demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine is India.

The Indian left has a lot to answer for. They should have organized them, even if just a few thousand people turned up.”

Did he have anything to say to young protesters? “You've won a temporary victory. It's partially psychological, partially political. It can disappear very quickly. Don't let it disappear. That would be my message.”