Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ to expand across India in major Gen Z outreach

Rahul Gandhi’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme is set to grow into a nationwide student outreach campaign, with Congress planning at least 28 episodes in its first phase and 100 in the second.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha launched the campaign in Kota, Rajasthan, on June 17. He has since interacted with students in Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune. The next episode is scheduled for Indore on Sept. 19.

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Gandhi will participate in all 28 episodes. For other episodes, we have to involve other senior leaders of the party.

Congress functionaries said the first phase would cover all states. Coordinators have been appointed in cities including Patna, Guwahati and Ranchi to invite participants, obtain administrative permissions and handle preparations before Gandhi attends. One party functionary said Gandhi would take part in all 28 first-phase episodes, while other senior leaders would be involved in additional events.

The programme has carried different themes at each stop. In Kota, Gandhi criticized what he called the education system’s “extortion machine.” In Dehradun, he described paper leaks as an “extortion racket.” In Prayagraj, he again spoke about an “extortion machine,” while in Pune, an event attended only by female students, he urged women to challenge patriarchy.

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The programme will cover 800 districts. In other words, we will reach out to students in 800 small towns across the country ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha election. This is tough but an important step for the party.

The expansion follows a decision by the Congress Working Committee on Aug. 19 to strengthen the party’s student outreach. A party functionary said the programme would reach 800 districts, or about 800 small towns, ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha election. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said Rahul Gandhi would attend some of the programmes.

The campaign comes after Congress mounted protests against the government during Parliament’s Monsoon Session over the use of force against student demonstrators in New Delhi on July 20. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has described Gandhi’s youth outreach as “Jhooth Ki Goonj,” or “the echo of lies.”

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The CWC decided that we will continue Chhatron Ki Goonj in around 800 cities, small and medium cities. Rahul Gandhi will attend some of these programmes.