“What happened in Jantar Mantar, the country and the world witnessed it. Some mischievous children used abusive language that doesn’t dignify any civilised society. They not only abused me but even my late mother,” Mr. Modi said in a video posted on his X and Instagram handles. 

The Prime Minister said one could make an error of judgment during one’s youth but such mistakes could also be corrected.

The Prime Minister said one can make an error of judgment during one’s youth but such mistakes can also be corrected.

“I understand the anger in our society. There is a cultural shock about our daughters using such language. This is the time to hug them and show them the right path…I want to forgive them,” Mr. Modi said.

Appealing for restraint from the wider society, the Prime Minister said there could not be any solution by making the youngsters run around police stations and courts.

“The children are ours and we have to show them the right path even if it is difficult to do to people who have been misled,” he said.

Mr. Modi’s message came on a day when a zero FIR in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was filed against a 25-year-old woman, Ruchika Singh, for using expletives against Mr. Modi at the Jantar Mantar protests on July 25. 

Reacting to the news, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister should not “threaten Gen Z”.

“PM Modi and Amit Shah — you cannot threaten Gen Z into silence,” Mr. Gandhi said in a post on X, adding, “You are India’s past. Be careful about how you treat India’s future.”