AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday, 26 July 2026, took to social media to highlight a student demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, claiming the protest was powerful enough to compel Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release a video response at midnight.

Owaisi wrote in Hindi: 'जंतर-मंतर पर Students ने ऐसा मंत्र पढ़ा कि @narendramodi को रात 12 बजे वीडियो बनानी पड़ गई' — loosely translated as: 'The students at Jantar Mantar recited such a powerful chant that Narendra Modi had to make a video at midnight.'

Context

The post references a student gathering at Jantar Mantar, the historic public protest site in central New Delhi, which has long served as a designated space for demonstrations, sit-ins, and rallies by civil society groups. Owaisi's pointed remark — framing the students' action as a 'mantra' or incantation — uses wordplay to suggest the protest forced an unusually timed official reaction from the Prime Minister's office.

The reference to a midnight video by Modi implies that the government felt compelled to respond to the students' demands outside normal working hours, a detail Owaisi presents as evidence of the protest's political weight. The specific subject of the student demonstration and the content of the Prime Minister's video were not independently detailed in the post.

Policy Backdrop

Student protests at Jantar Mantar have historically centred on a range of grievances — from examination irregularities and university admission policies to employment shortfalls and scholarship disputes. The site has hosted demonstrations by aspirants of competitive examinations, those affected by paper leaks, and activists demanding reform in higher education funding.

Prime Minister Modi has previously used direct video addresses and social media posts to communicate with specific constituencies, particularly youth and students, often bypassing traditional press channels. Opposition leaders, including Owaisi, have consistently argued that such communications are reactive rather than proactive on structural issues in India's education and employment landscape.

Stakeholders and Impact

Owaisi, as a vocal opposition MP from Hyderabad and president of AIMIM, regularly amplifies student and minority grievances on national platforms. His post frames the midnight video not as a gesture of goodwill but as a sign that street-level pressure from students can compel government action.

For the students at Jantar Mantar, the implied acknowledgement from the Prime Minister — regardless of its content — represents a visible moment of political leverage. Opposition parties are likely to use the episode to argue that sustained public protest remains an effective tool for extracting government responses on education and youth issues.

What's Next

Political observers will watch whether the student protest leads to any formal policy announcement, parliamentary discussion, or follow-up engagement from the government. Owaisi's post signals that the opposition intends to keep the spotlight on the students' demands and the government's response.

If the protest concerns a specific education policy or examination controversy, pressure may build on the relevant ministry to address the grievance formally. The episode also sets the stage for further mobilisation if students find the midnight video response inadequate.