Prayagraj Update: Tharoor Questions Student Outreach Ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s Youth Event

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to engage directly with Gen Z students in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, through the ‘Students Ki Goonj’ programme, but the event has triggered an internal political debate within the Congress. Senior party leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has questioned why the programme has not generated the same level of resonance as the student mobilisation seen at Jantar Mantar. Tharoor said the party needs to look inward and ask what it failed to do while connecting with young people. He questioned whether Congress leaders had listened enough to students and whether the party had been able to understand the concerns and aspirations of Gen Z. His remarks have added a new dimension to Rahul Gandhi’s planned interaction with students in Prayagraj, where he is expected to discuss issues concerning young people, including paper leaks and challenges faced by students. The controversy has also drawn a political response from the BJP. The party has accused Rahul Gandhi of adopting a selective approach towards student protests, questioning why he speaks strongly about demonstrations in Delhi but remains silent on the ongoing student agitation in Jharkhand. Congress leaders have rejected the criticism and defended Rahul Gandhi’s outreach to students and young people. They said he has consistently attempted to raise youth-related concerns without seeking political advantage and portrayed him as one of the national leaders most closely connected with the younger generation. With Rahul Gandhi’s Prayagraj programme taking place amid the debate, Tharoor’s comments, BJP’s criticism and Congress’s defence have turned the student outreach into a broader political talking point. The event is expected to draw attention to how major political parties are attempting to connect with Gen Z and respond to issues affecting students.

Go to Source