Rahul Gandhi's ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ to cover all states in big Gen Z outreach

Rahul Gandhi had launched ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ campaign from Kota on June 17 and has so far interacted with students in Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s popular programme “Chhatron ki Goonj” will have at least 28 episodes in its first phase to cover all states as the party plans to expand its outreach to students and Gen Z to cover 800 districts ahead of the forthcoming assembly elections and the next Lok Sabha elections, according to party functionaries aware of the developments.

On August 22, Rahul Gandhi held the Pune leg of the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student movement. (PTI)

The Congress MP had launched the campaign from Kota, Rajasthan, on June 17 and has so far interacted with students in Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune.

His next episode will be held in Indore on September 19. The party, including general secretary Kanhaiya Kumar and his team involved in the background work for these programmes, is planning 28 episodes in the first phase and 100 in the second phase, according to two party officials aware of the details.

Congress officials said that coordinators have been appointed in cities such as Patna, Guwahati and Ranchi for the first phase. They are responsible for inviting participants, securing administrative permissions and other duties before Gandhi attends the event. “Gandhi will participate in all 28 episodes. For other episodes, we have to involve other senior leaders of the party,” said a functionary.

In Kota, Gandhi focused on how the country’s education system is turning into an “extortion machine”.

The Dehradun episode’s theme was “paper leaks are an extortion racket.” Gandhi spoke about “the extortion machine” at Prayagraj and in his latest episode in Pune, attended only by girl students, he urged women to smash the patriarchy.

The phased expansion of the programme is being undertaken after a decision at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on August 19, which resolved to double down on the party’s student outreach by expanding the Gandhi’s programme to 800 towns.

“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,” said a second functionary.

“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,” Venugopal said after the CWC meeting.

The outreach follows the Congress launching an intense protest against the government in the Monsoon Session of Parliament over the use of force against protesting students in New Delhi on July 20.