New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday stressed the need for unity in the INDIA bloc and claimed that they did not lose the 2024 Lok Sabha election and have already won the 2029 polls.
Sharing his speech delivered at a meeting of the INDIA opposition bloc on Monday, Gandhi said several colleagues had requested for a Hindi translation of his address, which he is doing now. “After listening to the speeches and remarks of over 20 leaders at the INDIA Coalition meeting on June 8th, I finally addressed them with this speech.
“When India’s thinking, the nation’s soul, is in crisis… when institutions are captured… when the voice of the people is suppressed… only resistance combined with unity is effective,” the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post on X. “I say it again — we did not lose the 2024 elections, and we have already won the 2029 elections.
“We will remain united, organise the people, and with the power of resistance, defeat the BJP and its takeover of India’s institutions,” he said while sharing his speech in Hindi.
In his speech, Gandhi told leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) that going by the anger among people, the next parliamentary polls are “already won”, but the main problem is that there will be no free-and-fair election to win.
At the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday, Gandhi also gave a clarion call to the opposition leaders to stay united, saying it is easy to beat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “if we stand together and resist”.
The Congress leader also dismissed the notion that there is no coordination among the opposition parties. “These are all ideas the BJP is putting out. This is not true. I am 100 per cent sure and I can vouch right now for the DMK. When it comes to defending the idea of India, every single person will be in this room,” he said.
Cong launches anti-paper ‘leak’ campaign
The Congress on Saturday announced the first phase of a nationwide campaign against the alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities, with Rahul Gandhi scheduled to address a series of student conventions, starting from Kota on June 17.
The movement will seek to unite students beyond political affiliations and provide a platform for affected youth to share their experiences and demand accountability for “repeated examination failures and paper leak scandals”, the party said.
In a statement, AICC general Secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said, “The Congress party will therefore seek a comprehensive discussion in Parliament on the crisis confronting India’s youth and advocate legislative measures to protect their interests, rights and future.”
He said LoP Rahul Gandhi, who has emerged as the “most consistent and credible advocate” for India’s students and youth, will conduct a series of large student conventions starting with Kota (June 17), Allahabad (July 10), Patna (July 11) and Delhi (July 14), bringing together students, aspirants, youth organisations, educators and all those directly affected by the alleged examination scandals.
“The campaign will highlight the hardships faced by millions of young Indians whose futures are being repeatedly jeopardised by paper leaks, rising examination costs and the government’s failure to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment and education system,” Venugopal said.
As part of this nationwide campaign, the party will reiterate Gandhi’s call to mobilise students through extensive outreach by National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Youth Congress, Pradesh Congress Committees, District Congress Committees and local units across the country, he said.
Physical and digital invitations, campus outreach, interactions at coaching centres, universities, schools and youth hubs, social media campaigns, live screenings and direct engagement with students will be undertaken on a massive scale, according to Venugopal.
“Reflecting Rahul Gandhi’s conviction that the aspirations of young Indians must not be sacrificed to corruption, incompetence or political indifference, the movement will seek to unite students beyond political affiliations and provide a platform for affected youth to share their experiences and demand accountability for repeated examination failures and paper leak scandals,” he said.
The Congress general secretary said the movement will take to the streets the demands earlier articulated by Gandhi, including the decentralisation of NEET, abolition of examination fees, strict legal action against those involved in paper leak rackets and accountability at the highest levels of government, including the resignation of the Union education minister.
“Having repeatedly raised these issues, Rahul Gandhi has made the defence of merit, fairness and the availability of equal opportunity to our youth a pressing matter of national importance,” he said, adding that the party will seek a comprehensive discussion in Parliament on the measures to protect youth’s interests.
Venugopal further said that under the guidance of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the empowering leadership of Gandhi, the Indian National Congress has announced the first phase of a nationwide campaign against the “growing crisis of paper leaks, examination irregularities, unemployment and the systematic betrayal of India’s youth by the Modi government”.
The party announced on Thursday its plan to launch a nationwide campaign to corner the government on rising prices, unemployment, alleged examination paper leaks and “electoral manipulation”.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the general secretaries, state in-charges and Pradesh Congress Committee presidents held at the party headquarters under the chairmanship Kharge.
Venugopal earlier said the campaign against the “failures” of the Modi government will begin soon and continue for the next two-three months.
The nationwide campaign, he said, was aimed at holding Prime Minister Narendra Modi accountable and making him answerable to the people of this country.
