Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, dubbing the initiative ‘Jooth Ki Goonj’ and accusing the Opposition of trying to mislead young people.
Addressing a largely youth-focused gathering in Vadodara, Gujarat, Modi said the country’s youngsters would distinguish between truth and what he described as an “echo of lies”. His remarks came while he was inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for development projects worth around ₹35,000 crore in the city.
“At every nook and corner, you will find people who will try to mislead you through ‘Jooth Ki Goonj’, but today’s youth will stand with the truth,” Modi said, in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress campaign.
The Congress launched ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ as a student outreach and dialogue initiative, with programmes being organised in different cities. Through the campaign, the party has been raising issues concerning students and young people, including alleged examination paper leaks, rising education costs, irregularities in government recruitment and unemployment.
Modi’s attack also came amid a political debate over claims and counterclaims surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s speeches during the campaign. A website using the name ‘Jhooth Ki Goonj’ has claimed to have fact-checked 40 statements made by Gandhi at four events linked to ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, describing 29 as false and 11 as misleading.
While criticising what he described as attempts to mislead the youth, Modi urged young Indians to focus on emerging opportunities. He particularly called on them to develop expertise in artificial intelligence, saying India’s youth should aim to excel in the technology.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the government’s work across different energy sectors, including solar, wind, hydropower and nuclear energy, as part of his broader pitch to young voters.
The remarks in Vadodara are part of an increasingly visible political contest over India’s youth, with both the BJP and Congress seeking to connect with students and first-time voters. While the Congress has sought to make education, recruitment and employment central to its outreach, the BJP is emphasising development, technology and future opportunities.
Modi’s ‘Jooth Ki Goonj’ jibe is likely to add another sharp political dimension to the Congress campaign, as both sides continue to compete for the attention and support of India’s young electorate.
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