The Indian National Congress on Thursday, 25 June simultaneously held press conferences in 28 cities across India, escalating its 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign to demand a sweeping reform of the country's education system and the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The coordinated blitz supplemented a campaign originally launched by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on 17 June from Kota, Rajasthan.

Campaign Background and Demands

The 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (Echo of Students) campaign was initiated in Kota — a city synonymous with India's high-pressure coaching culture — as Congress's formal offensive against what the party describes as systemic failures in the Narendra Modi government's handling of education. The party has specifically called for Pradhan's resignation, accusing him of embodying the government's 'lack of vision and dogmatic approach' to the sector.

This comes amid a prolonged controversy over alleged paper leaks and examination malpractices that have drawn widespread student protests across the country in recent months.

What Congress Leaders Said

Jairam Ramesh, Member of Parliament and Congress General Secretary (Communications In-charge), said in a post on social media platform X that the campaign 'has captured the attention of every youth across the country.' He alleged that 'under the Narendra Modi government, the education system has turned into a terrifying extortion racket,' adding that 'continuous paper leaks and malpractices in examinations have plunged the youth into deep despair.'

Ramesh further claimed that students want Pradhan removed from office, but that 'with the Prime Minister's blessings, his chair remains secure.' He also alleged that the minister had labelled protesting students as 'terrorists' — a charge that has not been independently verified.

Cities and Leaders Involved

According to a Congress statement, senior party leaders addressed press conferences in 28 cities including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Patna, Pune, Ranchi, Srinagar, and Vijayawada, among others.

Leaders including Satej Patil, Varsha Gaikwad, Pawan Khera, Rajeev Shukla, Priyank Kharge, Gaurav Gogoi, Supriya Shrinate, Kanhaiya Kumar, Imran Pratapgarhi, and Srinivas BV spearheaded the initiative in their respective regions.

The Broader Political Picture

Congress framed the press conferences as 'the beginning of a national conversation on building a modern, inclusive, and future-ready education system.' The party called on students, teachers, parents, and citizens to join the dialogue, arguing that education policy must respond to youth aspirations rather than, in its words, 'ideological control.'

Notably, this is the Congress's most geographically expansive single-day push on the education issue since the paper leak controversy surfaced, signalling an intent to sustain the campaign beyond one-off events. How the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party responds — and whether Pradhan addresses the resignation demand directly — will shape the next phase of this political battle.