Hundreds of Delhi University students marched on 25 September after the alleged gang rape of a teenage girl in a park in Kalkaji. Women are also angry over an alleged gang rape of a minor on a moving sleeper bus, and protests have been reported at Jantar Mantar, Punjab and Delhi University.
Slogans That Travelled Faster Than The News
The demand was simple: safer streets. The language was not. Students used humour, rhymes and popular phrases to make their point, and one chant Ek kachori do samosa, in mardon ka kya bharosa. Another slogan, “Cutie Nahi, Kranti Hoon”, and “Mere Sar Me Dard Hai Iska Karan Mard Hai” was also widely shared.
InstagramPlaycards With A Message
Other playcards said women should not need a protest to feel safe, and one asked people to check a son’s intent instead of a daughter’s location. A further slogan took aim at blaming women’s clothes for harassment. Together, they shifted the focus from what women wear or where they go to how men behave.
How The Internet Reacted
One Instagram post about the protest reportedly drew over 321,000 likes and 17,000 comments. The rhymes have inspired users to write their own versions in comment sections. Most users appreciated the style, saying memes and humour help a message travel faster.
Men Join The Conversation
Not every male user took offence. Some men joined in, with one commenting, ‘Do kabab ek biryani, har mard ki alag kahani’. That reply captures the more sensitive side of the debate. Some users feel chants targeting the whole gender are unfair to men who respect women. Others say the slogans are protest satire and should not be read as literal accusations. On X, one user simply shared a clip and asked for “one word” for the students, a sign that sarcasm and criticism were also part of the online mix. There are also men who are talking in support of these slogans saying “vibe to hai”, “baat to shi hai”
Humour As A Tool Of Protest
Slogans have always been part of Indian protest culture, but short video platforms have given catchy lines a much larger audience. Playful wording can make a serious issue reach people who might scroll past a formal statement. It can also invite debate about tone, which is exactly what is happening here.
What Remains Unchanged
Behind the viral lines is a demand that authorities act quickly and that public spaces feel safe. The investigation into the reported assaults and any official response will matter more than the trending hashtags.
The slogans have won attention, but the real test is whether the conversation moves from social media to safer streets.
Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
