Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to 'forgive' young people instead of condemning them appears to have struck a nerve on X.

Within hours of the video being posted, the comment section turned into a barrage of criticism, with users accusing the government of double standards and questioning its handling of student protests, free speech and political discourse.

Several users questioned the Prime Minister's call for compassion, arguing that the government's actions did not reflect the message in the video.

One of the top replies read, 'Sir, if you really want to set an example, then please start unfollowing the abusers you've been following since 2014.'

Others drew attention to the alleged police action against students. 'Your police is literally hounding those students... Why so much difference in kathani & karani?' wrote one user, while another added,

'Kids don't lie, sir. The brutality of Delhi Police on protesting students especially children, cannot be normalized.' The allegations have not been independently verified.

The Prime Minister's remarks on forgiveness also reignited the debate on free speech.

One widely shared comment said, 'You want society to forgive young people... Fair enough. But under your watch, satire, cartoons, protest videos and critical posts about your government are taken down within hours.'

The user went on to argue that calls for compassion sit uneasily alongside what they described as growing control over speech.

Several users also accused the BJP of fostering the very political culture the Prime Minister urged people to reject.

'Go introspect. From Parliament to social media, this abuse culture was amplified and normalised by your party and IT cell,' one comment read.

Some reactions took a political turn, drawing comparisons with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

'Practice what you preach,' one user wrote, while another remarked, 'This is the difference between you and Rahul Gandhi... Papa, don't preach.'

Others urged the Prime Minister to act against leaders from his own party accused of using inflammatory language.

Not all comments centred on politics. Some users urged the Prime Minister to shift his attention to governance.

'Please look at our schools... this should be the priority right now for our children, not the midnight reels,' one user commented.

The flood of responses underscored how the Prime Minister's message, intended as an appeal for civility, instead became a focal point for criticism over student protests, free speech and the government's handling of dissent.