Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressed the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
In his address, which lasted around 20 minutes, Rahul Gandhi said, “India has around 40 crore young people, and this is the country’s biggest strength”. He also said China is often discussed as a major power, but its strength is nothing compared with the potential of India’s youth.
He also praised the Indian youth for making reels, he said, “ You are told to watch as many reels as you want and make as many as you like. These reels are the addiction of the 21st century.”
He further alleged that families spend thousands of crores on education and receive BA-MA degrees in return, but these certificates do not guarantee employment. He claimed that only 12 out of every 1,000 young people get permanent jobs.
Rahul also alleged that young people’s data is taken and given to large companies. He said young people are encouraged to keep watching and making reels, calling social media reels “the addiction of the 21st century”.
He reached Prayagraj this afternoon
Rahul Gandhi arrived at the airport at around 1.30 pm and went straight to Swaraj Bhawan, where he met party leaders. Congress leaders claimed that more than 2 lakh students had registered for the event.
The historic building was the birthplace of his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It is now a museum displaying objects linked to the Nehru-Gandhi family and India’s freedom movement.
Students from 23 districts have been invited. The Congress claims that more than 2 lakh students have registered, but only around 5,000 people have arrived so far.
Rahul Gandhi is expected to raise issues including unemployment, the NEET paper leak, irregularities in recruitment exams, and police lathi-charge on students, targeting the government over these concerns.
Congress puts up ‘No jobs, no throne’ posters
Congress workers put up posters across Prayagraj ahead of Gandhi’s programme. The posters read: “If there are no jobs, the throne will shake.”
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said the government was afraid of Gandhi.
“Everyone in the government is afraid of Rahul Gandhi. BJP leaders are nervous because they have done nothing for students or in the national interest,” Rai said.
₹2 crore pandal set up for programme
A pandal costing around ₹2 crore has been erected for the event. A VIP lounge has been set up at the rear, along with eight stalls for VIP guests.
Tea and drinking water have been arranged for students at the venue. Dinner has also been arranged for some students. Free e-rickshaw services have been made available to help students reach the venue.
Updates
After Rahul Gandhi’s programme ended, a large crowd of young people gathered on the road. Some of them were also seen walking with the Tricolour in their hands.
In his message to the youth, Rahul Gandhi said, “You are India’s spirit, future, and the most beautiful youngsters in the world. You cannot allow yourself to hate or to be violent. You are a loving youth and need to fight a war using peace.”
A student told Rahul Gandhi that he had only two options: open a tea stall or die by suicide.
Rahul Gandhi responded that suicide is not a solution and asked whether the student’s family had taken a loan. The student said he had sold his land to complete his B.Ed. and is now looking for a job.
He also said he was not afraid of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s “goons”.
A student from Patna came on stage and described the protest on July 22.
He said police lathi-charged the protesters, targeting their heads and legs, and also fired tear gas shells.
He alleged that the police officers were not wearing badges and stopped ambulances from reaching the protesters. He said he was taken to the hospital on a scooter, like in the film 3 Idiots. Later, he was kept at a police station for 15 hours.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that Gautam Adani became the second-richest person in 10 years and claimed that this system is being controlled by him. He also alleged that votes are being stolen, women from Brazil appear on voter lists, and RSS workers are being placed in institutions, including universities, colleges, and paramilitary forces.
He alleged that the system of Narendra Modi, Mohan Bhagwat, Amit Shah, and Adani has attacked young people.
Rahul Gandhi praised the students for “lighting a lamp in the darkness” and said they had done what their parents could not—face their fears. He said the youth had faced their fears, raised their voices, and sought change through love rather than hatred.
Rahul Gandhi said AI is also closing the doors to corporate jobs, which is causing immense frustration among young people. He said the programme would focus on understanding what the system is and who controls it.
He said, “The data is yours, the pain is yours, but the wealth belongs to them.” Referring to Dr BR Ambedkar, he said the system involves the social, political, and economic spheres.
In his address at Prayagraj, Rahul Gandhi said that “Education certificates have no meaning in India because they cannot give you job”.
He further said that, “All doors of employment are closed in India: Rahul Gandhi said in Prayagraj.”
Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, “You are the strength of India, the pride of India, and the nation’s strength. And when I say you are India’s strength, I am not talking about this crowd; I am talking about every citizen of India and every young person…”
In his address, Rahul Gandhi said that several sectors of the economy could provide Indian youth with employment are now weak.
He highlighted that, production, the private sector, and several other sectors are now weak. He also said that Indian banks won’t support entrepreneurs but will give huge funds to billionaires in India.
Rahul Gandhi said AI is built using people’s data. He said that while petrol was a source of power in the 20th century, data is the real power in the 21st century. He stressed that this data belongs to people and the country, and is created by them.
He alleged that the system is trapping young people in a ‘chakravyuh’. Families spend thousands of crores on education and receive BA-MA degrees in return, but these certificates do not guarantee jobs.
Rahul Gandhi claimed that only 12 out of every 1,000 young people are able to get jobs.
In his address at ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, at Prayagraj, LoP Rahul Gandhi said that, the ‘World will be driven by Data and youth in the 21st century’.
He further mentioned that the world will not be able to run if data is not generated by the people, especially the youth of India.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, Allahabad MP Ujjwal Raman Singh, MLA Aradhana Mishra Mona, and Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma are present at the venue.
Songs are also being played on the stage.
Bihar Congress posted on X at 5:21 pm, alleging that the BJP, after failing to stop Rahul Gandhi and silence the students, released dirty sewage water at the Prayagraj venue where the ‘Students’ Voice’ programme is scheduled for this evening.
The Congress also shared a video, calling the act “not politics, but cowardice at the level of a drain.”
Congress MP Pawan Khera says, “The government left no stone unturned in creating obstacles to the programme. First, it cancelled the permission and then granted it again. Now, sewage and dirty water have been released at the venue. If the government has a grudge against Rahul Gandhi, he will not be deterred…”
Congress leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh says, “Rahul Gandhi has been concerned about students’ future for the past 5–6 years, alleging that the BJP’s education and examination policies favor only a privileged few and that students are suffering due to paper leaks and flaws in the examination system…”
Gandhi had earlier visited Swaraj Bhawan in February 2024 during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
He launched the ‘Students’ Voice’ programme from Kota, Rajasthan, on June 17. He later interacted with students and young people in Dehradun on July 17.
There is chaos across the event venue. The ground inside the pandal has still not been completely levelled, and workers are continuing the levelling work.
A master LED video wall and two giant LED screens have been installed on the stage.
Congress leaders had claimed that 2 lakh people had registered for the event. However, fewer than 5,000 people are currently present.
Miraya Vadra is the younger daughter of Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra. She is Rahul Gandhi’s niece.
Born on June 24, 2002, Miraya Vadra is 23 years old. She has so far stayed away from politics.
According to media reports, Miraya Vadra completed her schooling at Welham Girls’ School in Dehradun.
Posters targeting the Congress were put up in Prayagraj, carrying the message: “Making noise in Prayagraj, but afraid to speak in Jharkhand.”
Congress workers tore down the posters.
A VIP lounge has been set up at the back of the pandal, with eight stalls for VIP guests.
Tea and refreshments have been arranged for all students at the ground, while dinner has also been arranged for some of them. Students have also been provided free e-rickshaw services.
The event will cost Congress around ₹ 2 crore in total. A fireworks show costing ₹10 lakh will be held when he arrives.
A Delhi-based company has been given the catering responsibility, including arrangements for tea and refreshments for the students.
The pandal has a separate corridor for Rahul Gandhi, through which he will reach the students and interact with them.
Tight security arrangements have been made for Rahul Gandhi’s visit. The security team will include three IPS officers, three ADCPs, eight ACPs, around 1,000 police personnel, one-and-a-half companies of PAC, five Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and nine reserve teams.
Police will be deployed along the entire route from Bamrauli Airport to Anand Bhawan and then to KP Ground.
Prayagraj is the third phase of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Students’ Voice’ campaign. The campaign began in Kota.
In the second phase, he met students and their families in Dehradun who had been affected by irregularities in examinations.
Gandhi is scheduled to interact with students at the ‘Students’ Voice’ programme at KP College Ground at 6 pm.
Students from 23 districts have been invited to the event. The Congress claims that more than 2 lakh students have registered.
Gandhi is expected to raise issues including unemployment, the NEET paper leak, irregularities in recruitment examinations and police action against protesting students.
