The hallowed halls of India's Lok Sabha have been reduced to an extension of an Instagram comment section as politicians scramble to stay relevant.
Following a youth-led protest movement that successfully forced the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, lawmakers from both the ruling BJP and the opposition have begun peppering their parliamentary speeches with Gen Z slang.
Terms like 'delulu,' 'FOMO,' and 'clock it' are now being tossed around by MPs, signaling a shallow attempt to mirror the language of the 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP), the online collective that organized the recent demonstrations over exam irregularities and unemployment.
While politicians claim this is a way to connect with the electorate, observers note that adopting a generation's vocabulary is a far cry from actually solving the systemic failures that triggered the unrest.
This performative pivot comes as the government faces mounting criticism for its heavy-handed response to the protests, including police action against activists and demands for the removal of online content. As one protester aptly noted, the youth are not looking for politicians to mimic their vernacular—they are demanding accountability.
For a generation raised on digital irony, this parliamentary 'fit check' of political discourse is being dismissed as nothing more than cringe-worthy pandering.
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