Rahul Gandhi Reaches Prayagraj to Address ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ Student Outreach Programme

August 8, 2026

Prayagraj: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reached Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, to address the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ student outreach programme.

Gandhi received a warm welcome from Congress leaders and party workers after arriving in the city.

The programme is scheduled to be held at 5 PM on August 8 as part of the Congress’ nationwide student outreach campaign. The initiative focuses on issues affecting young people and seeks to raise concerns related to education, employment and accountability.

Prayagraj Event Follows Venue Controversy

The programme had earlier faced uncertainty after the management of Kayasth Pathshala (KP) College withdrew permission for the use of its sports ground.

The decision was attributed to academic concerns and an Allahabad High Court order stressing that students’ academic activities should not be disrupted. However, the cancellation of the booking was later revoked, allowing the programme to go ahead as scheduled.

The Prayagraj event is the next leg of Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, which began in Rajasthan’s Kota with a ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj Maha Rally’.

The campaign later moved to Dehradun, where Gandhi interacted with students and families affected by alleged examination irregularities.

Rahul Gandhi Raises Paper Leak and Education Concerns

During the Dehradun leg of the campaign, Gandhi interacted with the father of a student who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy.

At the programme held at Bannu School Ground in Dehradun, the student’s father urged Gandhi to raise the issue in Parliament so that no other family would have to suffer similar pain.

Gandhi had also alleged that around 7.5 crore young students had suffered due to paper leaks over the past decade.

“High technology is being used in India to facilitate exam paper leaks. You can find these papers on the internet, on Telegram or Signal, if you have crores of rupees. This is the state of India’s education system,” he had said.

He further claimed that there had been “152 paper leaks” in the last decade and alleged that the conviction rate in such cases was zero.

“There have been 152 leaks, meaning, on average, one paper leak every month for the past decade. Yet, the reality is that the conviction rate is zero. Not a single person has gone to jail or been punished in connection with these cases,” Gandhi had said.

‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ Focuses on Jobs and Student Issues

The ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign focuses on issues including examination paper leaks, coaching fees, access to education and employment opportunities.

The Congress has announced that the initiative will include protests, public outreach programmes and discussions across the country, including in Parliament, with participation from its student wing NSUI and Youth Congress.

With the Prayagraj event, the party aims to expand its youth outreach campaign and put the spotlight on issues concerning jobs, examinations and opportunities for students.