Ahead of his 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Prayagraj on Friday, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the BJP-led Centre "bends only when voices rise together", asserting that sustained student protests over examination paper leaks forced political accountability.
In a post on X on Thursday, Gandhi referred to the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following months of protests over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and paper leaks, and said collective action had compelled the government to respond.
"Prayagraj is the city where the largest number of young people prepare for competitive examinations. Every student here knows the system has become dishonest. There is no shortage of hard work among students; the problem lies in a system that fails to value it," Gandhi said.
He listed paper leaks, stalled recruitment processes and prolonged delays in appointments among the concerns confronting job aspirants. Referring to his recent interactions with students in Kota and Dehradun, Gandhi said similar grievances had emerged across states. He also alleged that students protesting in Delhi were subjected to police action for raising questions over the examination system.
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"In the end, a minister had to step down. This government bends only when voices rise together," he said, inviting students to attend the interaction scheduled at KP Ground in Prayagraj at 5 pm on August 8.
The event had briefly run into uncertainty after the management of KP College withdrew permission for the use of its sports ground, citing academic considerations and an Allahabad High Court order emphasising that educational activities should not be disrupted.
In a letter to the city Congress unit, the college management asked organisers to collect the deposited amount after cancelling the booking. However, the administration subsequently allowed the programme to go ahead, revoking the earlier cancellation.
The Prayagraj event is part of the Congress' outreach to students and youth on issues of examination integrity, recruitment delays and unemployment. The party has sought to sharpen its campaign around these issues in recent months, arguing that recurring examination controversies have undermined the aspirations of millions of job seekers across the country.
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