3 min readJul 29, 2026 09:32 AM IST
The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament is a little different this week. One got to hear from politicians a lingo which you would usually expect on Instagram and not in the Lok Sabha. Words like “Delulu,” “FOMO,” and “clocked it” flowed freely. But how did the Parliament’s lingo change from “kitne tejasvi log hain humare paas [we have such bright people]” to “FOMO hone ke baad delulu hua [after FOMO, they were delulu]”?
The change in lingo is not random; it’s a direct response to weeks of Gen-Z-led protests that rattled the government and eventually led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as the Education Minister.
Why politicians are suddenly fluent in Gen-Z
The trigger was the nationwide protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth movement that began as a satirical social media page in May 2026. The anger over the NEET paper leak and other irregularities in government exams was visible among the youth.
This drew thousands, including millenials, to Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and this forced the government to take note.
First, Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved to Instagram and directly addressed the youth as “friends” instead of the usual “bhaiyo aur behno [brothers and sisters]”. Then he reportedly asked his party leaders to become more active on the social media platform to connect more with the youth.
And now, Parliament is seeing a shift in the language used on the floor. During a Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having “clocked it” — a Gen-Z term for spotting something correctly — while literally snapping her fingers on the floor of the House.
VIDEO | Delhi: BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj in Lok Sabha hails Prime Minister for the introduction of the anti-paper leak bill.
She says, “In Gen-Z language, PM Modi ‘clocked it’.”
(Source: SANSAD TV) pic.twitter.com/XTjYQAliiU
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 28, 2026
Fellow BJP MP Shrikant Shinde went a step further, accusing the Opposition of being “delulu” to think Gen-Z supported them, and claimed Rahul Gandhi had “FOMO” for skipping the student protests.
विरोधकांना Gen-Z भाषेत FOMO झाला आहे..!!#Shivsena #Drshrikanteknathshinde pic.twitter.com/9st98X4dC9
— Dr Shrikant Lata Eknath Shinde (@DrSEShinde) July 28, 2026
Opposition MP Supriya Sule countered, saying the debate was not about who knew how many Gen-Z terms. “We are here for a serious issue,” she said. “You are taking this issue lightly… The next generation is not with you; don’t be in that delulu,” she said.
The sudden shift matters as political parties have realised they can no longer be away from the next generation of voters. They need to connect with Gen-Z and Gen Alpha as soon as possible as the CJP protests have shown that they are well capable of bringing about changes.