Rahul Gandhi’s Prayagraj event to spotlight education, jobs: Ajay Rai

The historic city of Prayagraj is set to become the next major stage for a growing youth-focused campaign, with thousands of students, competitive examination aspirants, research scholars and unemployed young people expected to gather at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme on 8 August.

The event at KP Ground will provide a platform for students and job seekers to voice their concerns on education, recruitment and employment before leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference at his residence, Rai described the gathering as a landmark moment in Uttar Pradesh’s youth movement, saying the programme would bring together the aspirations, struggles and hopes of a generation seeking better opportunities.

According to Rai, the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, led by Rahul Gandhi, has evolved into a nationwide movement highlighting the rights and concerns of students and young people. The campaign began in Rajasthan’s Kota, a hub for competitive examination aspirants, where issues such as paper leaks, examination irregularities, unemployment and gaps in the education system came to the forefront.

The movement later travelled to Dehradun, gaining wider support, and will now witness its largest gathering in Prayagraj, Rai said.

Highlighting the challenges faced by Uttar Pradesh’s youth, the state Congress chief alleged that repeated paper leaks, delays in recruitment processes, irregularities in examinations and rising unemployment had left lakhs of aspirants frustrated.

He said countless students spend years preparing for competitive examinations, only to see their dreams disrupted by cancelled tests, recruitment delays and alleged irregularities. Rai stressed that young people deserve a transparent selection process, quality education and access to dignified employment opportunities.

"The youth of the country are its future," Rai said, adding that the Congress would continue to raise issues affecting students and job seekers.

During the press conference, Rai also raised allegations related to the management of donations received for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, reiterating the Congress demand for a fair and transparent investigation.

Questioning the impartiality of the Special Investigation Team set up by the Uttar Pradesh government, Rai said the sentiments of millions of devotees attached to the temple must be respected and that a comprehensive probe was needed to uncover the truth.

He alleged that action so far appeared limited to lower-level officials and demanded that the roles of senior figures, including Nripendra Mishra, Anil Mishra, Govind Dev Giri and Champat Rai Bansal, should also be examined. He called for strict action against anyone found guilty under the law.

Rai said the Congress would continue its campaign for the rights of students, youth, farmers, women, labourers, traders and other sections of society, positioning the Prayagraj gathering as a platform for voices seeking change and accountability.

With PTI inputs