NEW DELHI – AIK KACHORI, DO SAMOSA, IN MARDON KA KYA BHAROSA is all over the internet. What sounds like playful jibe has become a viral protest slogan in India’s capital, where women and female students are taking to the streets to demand greater safety and accountability amid concerns over sexual harassment and violence.
Students from several Delhi University colleges and young activists launched protests calling for safer public spaces for women. But this time, the language of protest is markedly different. Instead of relying solely on traditional slogans, protesters are using humour, satire, rhymes and familiar elements of Indian street culture to make their voices heard.
Ek Kachori, Do Samosa, In Mardon Ka Kya Bharosa?
Anger, sarcasm, and a demand to be heard.
— Dr Kaalika (@DrKaalika) September 30, 2026
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Their slogans have now travelled far beyond the streets, becoming a major talking point on Instagram. The protests have quickly found a second life online. Young Instagram users are creating Reels featuring the slogans, remixing them and adding their own versions, helping turn the chants into viral social-media content.
These wording made the campaign highly shareable, but protesters insist the humour is simply a new way of communicating an old and serious demand: women want to feel safe in public spaces.
How the Language of Women’s Protests Has Changed
The evolution of the slogans reflects a broader transformation in women’s activism. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women’s movements largely focused on political and legal rights, including the right to vote. During the 1960s and 1970s, campaigns increasingly centred on bodily autonomy and equal pay, while the slogan “The personal is political” became closely associated with feminist activism.
90s brought language of “Woman power”, while the rise of social media transformed activism once again. Hashtag campaigns gave women new ways to share their experiences and mobilise supporters, with #MeToo eventually becoming a global movement against sexual abuse and harassment.
Now, Gen Z protesters are bringing that activism into the age of Instagram Reels, memes and viral trends. The slogans have attracted attention from both supporters and critics online.
Cockroach movement: When India’s youth challenges politics of silence
For some of the women at the centre of the protests, the online attention has come with a disturbing price. Some activists faced severe online abuse, including more than 5,000 rape threats and obscene messages.
Despite the memes and viral Reels, protesters say their demands are serious. They are calling for better street lighting, safer public transportation, stronger security in parks and greater accountability from authorities. The demonstrations have also revived painful memories of the 2012 Nirbhaya case, which became a defining moment in India’s debate over violence against women.
The catchy slogans could become more famous than the issue they were created to highlight. Once a serious protest enters meme culture, humour and virality can easily overshadow the original message. But for the women taking part, the meaning behind the slogans remains straightforward.
