ABVP accuses Rahul Gandhi of paying students to attend "Chhatron Ki Goonj" events

ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of mobilising "student mobs" for political purposes, alleging that people are paid to attend his Chhatron Ki Goonj programmes, which he described as being run like "concerts" rather than genuine student outreach events.

In an interview with PTI, Solanki questioned Gandhi's credentials to speak for students, asking, "Rahul Gandhi is not a student. He is the leader of opposition in Parliament... The students' voice has to be raised by students." He alleged that the Congress was using the programme to enter student politics and pursue a political agenda under the guise of raising student issues.

Solanki was particularly critical of the format of the events, saying they lacked seriousness and had been turned into entertainment spectacles. "I think it shows a lack of seriousness that they have turned it into a concert. They are making girls dance and bringing stand-up comedians and mimicry artists to gather crowds," he said, adding that genuine engagement with student issues required listening rather than staging performances.

He also referenced the recent controversy over a skit at one such event mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with an elderly woman, calling it insensitive. "They are not merely making fun of the prime minister; they are making fun of the sentiment with which he spoke to the elderly woman," Solanki said, alleging that the Congress and its student wing NSUI had "consistently" behaved in ways that hurt public sentiment and disrespected women.

Solanki claimed that large turnouts at Gandhi's events, including a recent one in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, were manufactured through financial incentives rather than organic student interest. "Students were brought in from across Madhya Pradesh. Money was given to people, substantial amounts were given, and leaders were given targets to bring students," he alleged, referring to Gandhi's September 19 address to students in Indore.

Contrasting this with ABVP's own approach, Solanki said his organisation works directly with students at university and college levels, raising their concerns with bodies such as the UGC, AICTE, NTA and NCERT, and on issues including fellowships and scholarships, without seeking to politicise student issues. He cited ABVP's performance in recent student body elections, including winning three of four seats in the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) polls, where NSUI failed to win any seat, and a win in Punjab University elections, as evidence of ABVP's standing among students compared to the Congress-backed outfit.

Chhatron Ki Goonj is a student outreach campaign launched by Gandhi to target the BJP government over issues including question paper leaks, rising education costs, irregularities in government recruitment, and unemployment. Four editions of the campaign have been held so far, in Kota, Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune.