New Delhi, June 25: The Congress party on Thursday intensified its nationwide ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ (Voice of Students) campaign by organising simultaneous press conferences in 28 cities across India, demanding a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s education system and reiterating its call for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The campaign, launched by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on June 17 from Kota, Rajasthan, seeks to highlight what the Congress describes as the growing crisis in India’s education sector. The party has accused the Narendra Modi-led government of failing to address recurring issues such as examination paper leaks, irregularities in recruitment exams, and the increasing burden on students.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the campaign has resonated with students and young people across the country. In a post on social media platform X, he alleged that the current education system had become a “terrifying extortion racket” due to repeated examination malpractices and paper leaks.
According to Ramesh, these recurring issues have left students frustrated and uncertain about their future. He also criticised the Union Education Minister, claiming that despite widespread demands for his resignation, Dharmendra Pradhan continues to enjoy the Prime Minister’s support.
The Congress further alleged that the Union Minister had made remarks describing protesting students as “terrorists,” a claim the party said reflected the government’s insensitivity towards the concerns of young aspirants.
As part of the campaign, senior Congress leaders addressed press conferences in major cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bilaspur, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Guwahati, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kota, Nagpur, Patna, Pune, Purnia, Ranchi, Rohtak, Sikar, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayawada, Prayagraj (Allahabad), and Meerut.
Prominent Congress leaders, including Satej Patil, Varsha Gaikwad, Pawan Khera, Rajeev Shukla, Priyank Kharge, Gaurav Gogoi, Supriya Shrinate, Kanhaiya Kumar, Imran Pratapgarhi, and Srinivas BV, led the campaign in their respective regions.
The party described the initiative as the beginning of a nationwide dialogue aimed at creating a modern, inclusive, and future-ready education system. Congress also invited students, teachers, parents, and citizens to participate in discussions, asserting that India’s education system should focus on fulfilling the aspirations of the country’s youth rather than being influenced by ideological considerations.
The campaign is expected to continue in the coming weeks as the Congress seeks to build public support for its proposed reforms in the education sector.
