Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ about student grievances is the outcome of the Congress’s insecurity with cockroaches: Demystifying the farce

On 17th June (Wednesday), Rahul Gandhi began a nationwide campaign, “Chhatron Ki Goonj (Echo of Students)” from India’s coaching heartland, Rajasthan’s Kota, in the name of highlighting the critical problems afflicting the country’s educational system. He charged that the framework of the competitive examinations is a “rejection system” instead of a selection process that undermines the hopes and mental health of young people, referring to it as “extremely stressful and unfair.” He stated, “India’s education system is an extortion machine. We want a system that allows you to dream big,” remarking that the youth is experiencing far too much suffering and pain, during a rally after the launch of the ambitious program. The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha also interacted with the aspirants. “In 2026, we witnessed the lengthy format of the preliminary examination. It has been designed in such a way that it is often exceedingly difficult for students. Moreover, 1.5 million forms are submitted for only 1,000 openings. I want to question the government about their approach for those who fail to clear the exam. A backup plan should be in place for the remaining students,” a girl complained amid a conversation with him. A girl at Rahul Gandhi's event:"Lengthy paper is being given. 15 Lakh appear for UPSC. 1,000 people get selected.— What is the Govt doing for rest 14 LAKH? What is Plan-B for them?"20L people buy LOTTERY tickets & only one wins. What's Modi doing for the rest 19,99,999? pic.twitter.com/Wm5MxpZIcB— The Analyzer (News Updates) (@Indian_Analyzer) June 18, 2026 The campaign aims to establish a significant pan-India student movement to revitalise the faltering electoral prospects of the Indian National Congress. However, there exists another competitor also seeking to capture the attention of the anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) populace. Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which was founded as an online phenomenon, had already taken to the streets to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET paper leaks. Hence, the grand old party wants to ensure that the anti-government space on a fundamental issue such as education is not ceded to what it believes to be “non-political” entities. CJP has already been trashed by the former as “performative” and a “brainchild of the Aam Aadmi Party”, as it maintained a firm distance from the Jantar Mantar agitation. Interestingly, Abhijeet Dipke has a documented history of affiliation with the latter and was part of the social media core team. A split in opposition and what Congress fears A heated mud-slinging match also broke out as AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj mocked Congress and its ecosystem. He asked how a party with a legacy of 140 years, which ruled the nation for decades, could feel threatened by a grassroots effort led by the youth and Gen-Z that is only a few days old. Bharadwaj accused Congress of attempting to seize the spotlight and acting as though it possesses exclusive authority to protest, unlike other opposition parties that have endorsed the CJP. He asserted that the former has sunk to a new low, and the more it engages in such actions, the further it is going to alienate the younger generation. On the other hand, the entire Congress system is trying to undermine the supposed impact of the CJP. Former Lok Sabha MP and son of late Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, Sandeep Dikshit declared the latter as “nonsense” and “fad like AAP”, declaring, “I don’t take this seriously. People clicking on something and thinking they are political,” while talking to propaganda platform Scroll. Likewise, Youth Congress repeatedly labelled itself as the “true cockroaches” on social media and even started an online drive urging others to join them. Ha, hum hai cockroach Kya aap bhi hai Cockroach?Register at: https://t.co/PPJUWeR7LX pic.twitter.com/Mhn4oP2edH— Indian Youth Congress (@IYC) May 26, 2026 “Real cockroaches are not just online revolutionaries. You have to be on the ground and fight the system,” the youth wing of Congress taunted in another post featuring its demonstration against the centre. “Indian Youth Cockroaches greater than Boston Cockroach,” it similarly hit out at the Boston-based founder of CJP, who recently returned to India. Well done IYC Cockroaches क्रांति सिर्फ सोशल मीडिया से नही, भारत की सड़कों पर उतरकर ही आएगी। pic.twitter.com/2GDzCYcpbM— Indian Youth Cockroaches (@iyccockroaches) May 22, 2026 Shamita Yadav, also known as Ranting Gola, a prominent member of the Congress ecosystem, posted a video titled, “Who, according to you, is the real opposition? Online drama queens or actual student leaders?” She conveyed that while some people are occupied with signing online petitions and calling for resignations, others are out on the streets demonstrating, being lathi-charged and defending their rights in the sweltering heat. Yadav directly charged that the CJP wishes to be viewed as the main opposition while Congress is handling all the responsibilities. Aap Chronology samajhiye – Congress troll Shamita Yadav wanted fame & fund in Cockroach Janta Party – CJP sidelined her; so she made videos exposing them– Rattled AAP got her account withheld Nothing happened to her even after she mocks BJP 24*7, but time she was denting… pic.twitter.com/OjcbjQwzN3— BALA (@erbmjha) May 27, 2026 Molitics, another outlet known for its agenda-driven reporting, insinuated that the CJP could be part of a conspiracy against Congress. These statements clearly indicate a glaring division within the opposition bloc. However, Congress cannot overlook how freshly created AAP devoured its voter base and ascended to power by displacing its governments in both Delhi and Punjab. The former is “once bitten, twice shy” and is exercising extreme caution, considering its humiliating ouster from its strongholds and is desperate to avoid a recurrence of the same, especially given Dipke’s connections with AAP despite repeated dismissals of such allegations by the two. Thus, the opposition’s unity, which is more of a theoretical construct than a practical reality, has again been exposed as Congress frantically works to protect its swiftly eroding political influence. The strong position taken by AAP on CJP also points to many possibilities related to their association, which might prove harmful to Congress and would certainly prefer to avoid. The actual purpose of “Chhatron Ki Goonj” It is an open truth that whether it is CJP, Congress or other parties, their aggression and agitation on behalf of students are merely a ruse intended to earn brownie points in hopes of achieving their political aims. This strategy has been repackaged and redeployed time and again following the astronomical rise of the saffron party to power. While it is accurate that students are affected by massive challenges that require effective and long-term solutions, the objective of these parties is not constructive criticism but rather the exploitation of these troubles to advance their narrative. Therefore, the conflict between CJP and Congress is over weaponising the difficulties faced by the student community for their political interests. CJP has just commenced its journey, while Congress is the oldest party that is losing its relevance, and the last thing it needs is to be replaced by a potential front of AAP. Thus, the tug of war is primarily about winning over the undecided or non-BJP voter base, which is being played out on the backs of matters related to students. The Gandhi scion wants to address this demographic through his “Chhatron Ki Goonj” initiative. CJP and Congress, in essence, are two sides of the same coin, vying for a common goal as the actual concerns are leveraged as a pretext but are easily eclipsed in this frantic political rat race.