Hyderabad: A large presence of young people, most of them in their early 20s, stood out at the CJP protest at Dharna Chowk on Sunday. Many of them said they had come after learning about the movement through social media.For Krishna, a 22-year-old lawyer from Begumpet, the protest was about encouraging citizens to question those in power. “In India, people often speak up only when they are personally affected. Small movements can lead to larger changes. Being apolitical is worse than having a political ideology,” he said.While some protesters sat on the ground listening intently to speakers, the others moved through the crowd debating issues ranging from examination leaks and unemployment to environmental protection and political accountability.Many participants said they were attracted by the movement’s issue-based approach. Gaurav Maindola, a 26-year-old AI engineer, said he had been following CJP online because it focused on public concerns rather than party affiliations. “Corruption and paper leaks affect everyone. If the movement eventually becomes a political party, I would like to see its manifesto first,” he said.At the same time, some supporters expressed caution. One participant said the movement currently appeared to be highlighting genuine concerns but warned against repeating the trajectory of political movements that began with public support but later lost focus.Divyeash Polimera, a 19-year-old philosophy student, described CJP as a promising initiative but cautioned that it would need stronger organisation and a clearer roadmap to sustain momentum. “The anger is real, but anger alone is not enough. It has to be channelled into something constructive,” he added.While the party did not conduct a formal membership drive at the Hyderabad event, co-ordinators said that support was growing through social media outreach. They added that announced that their next major mobilisation would take place in Delhi on June 20.
