New delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his willingness to forgive student protesters who demonstrated against him in July, citing the need for guidance over punishment. In a video released on social media, Modi described the protesters as misguided youth and emphasized the role of government and society in steering them towards the right path. He stressed that punitive measures would not address the underlying issues.

According to Thai News Agency, the protests erupted following a significant leak of national exam papers, which necessitated a retake for over 2 million students. This incident highlighted widespread dissatisfaction among young people regarding opportunities in India and escalated into one of the most severe political crises of Modi's third term. The protests led to clashes with security forces in various locations, including New Delhi, where police resorted to tear gas and batons, resulting in numerous protesters being charged.

The protests eventually ceased after the Minister of Education stepped down, and the government agreed to the protesters' demands. These included reforms in the examination system, dropping of police charges against protesters, and introducing legislation to impose stricter penalties for those involved in exam leaks.