Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Danish Azad Ansari on Sunday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Prayagraj, calling it a “complete flop show” and accusing the Congress leader of trying to mislead young people.
Speaking to ANI, Ansari questioned the response to the student-focused programme and said the Congress had made “very big claims”, including about the number of students who had registered for the initiative. According to him, the actual event did not match those claims.
Ansari alleged that the programme was less about listening to students and more about delivering a political speech. He accused Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly attempting to influence young voters through political messaging rather than addressing their concerns directly.
The BJP leader’s comments came shortly after Rahul Gandhi addressed the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Prayagraj as part of the Congress’s wider student outreach campaign. The initiative seeks to highlight issues affecting young people, particularly unemployment, examination irregularities, paper leaks and the rising cost of education.
During the Prayagraj event, Gandhi attacked the Centre over what he described as a growing crisis facing India’s youth. He spoke about unemployment, expensive education, examination paper leaks, lack of access to credit and concerns that artificial intelligence could further affect employment opportunities.
The Congress has been positioning ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ as a nationwide campaign aimed at amplifying students’ concerns. The party had earlier urged its leaders and grassroots organisations to turn the initiative into a broader movement. The campaign has also focused on concerns surrounding competitive examinations and recruitment.
Rahul Gandhi’s Prayagraj visit had already become politically contentious before the programme began. A venue provider reportedly withdrew permission for the scheduled event, while Congress leaders said the move would not stop their student outreach.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also criticised Gandhi’s decision to attend the Prayagraj programme, suggesting that he should instead have visited Ranchi, where students have been protesting over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The BJP has continued to question whether the Congress campaign can translate its student outreach into meaningful political support. BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya had also dismissed the possibility that the initiative would significantly affect the party’s support base in Uttar Pradesh.
With education, examinations and employment emerging as major political issues, the sharp exchange over ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ reflects the growing contest between the BJP and Congress to connect with India’s young voters. While Congress says it is giving students a platform to raise their concerns, the BJP has dismissed the initiative as political theatre.
