Mumbai, July 26 -- Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Sunday said that the youth protests reflected widespread public anger and alleged that the Centre was ultimately forced to "bow down".

Speaking to reporters, Sawant said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was the first leader to support the protesters and object to them being referred to as "cockroaches".

"Only Uddhav Thackeray showed that courage. He was the first person, the first leader, who said you cannot call these youths 'cockroaches'. He was the only leader in the country to say, 'Do not insult them by calling them cockroaches,'" Sawant said.

Sawant said he had visited the protest site under Uddhav Thackeray's guidance and claimed that the protesters continued their agi...