Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appeared to take a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his Chhatron Ki Goonj campaign during an event in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Without naming Gandhi directly, Modi contrasted what he called the “clamour of lies” with what he described as the “resounding call of truth”, in an apparent reference to the Congress-led student outreach campaign.
“Jhooth ki goonj se farmaane waale toh har chaurahae par mil jaayenge, lekin Bharat ka naujawan sach ki hunkaar se chalta hai,” Modi said at the NaMo for Viksit Bharat event.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came during his Gujarat visit, where he inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore.
PM Modi’s ‘jhooth ki goonj’ remark
Modi said people attempting to mislead others could be found “at every street corner”, but claimed that the country’s youth was instead driven by truth.
The reference appeared to be aimed at the Chhatron Ki Goonj campaign launched by the Indian National Congress and led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The campaign has focused on concerns among students over examination irregularities and alleged question-paper leaks, including controversies surrounding competitive examinations such as NEET.
Modi did not mention Gandhi by name while making the remarks.
Rahul Gandhi’s student campaign
The Congress has been using Chhatron Ki Goonj as a nationwide outreach campaign centred on issues affecting students and young people.
The political exchange comes amid continuing debate over examination systems, recruitment and alleged irregularities — issues that have repeatedly featured in opposition criticism of the government.
Modi’s latest remarks add another layer to the political contest, with both the BJP and Congress seeking to appeal to India’s large youth population.
₹35,000 crore projects unveiled in Vadodara
Modi was in Vadodara to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for development projects valued at more than ₹35,000 crore.
During his address, he also highlighted the growth of rooftop solar installations and their potential to create employment.
He said around 5.5 million families across India had installed solar plants on their rooftops, with about 1.1 million families in Gujarat among them.
According to Modi, these households had increasingly become electricity producers, while the expansion of rooftop solar had created opportunities in manufacturing, installation, servicing and related businesses.
Huge turnout expected at PM’s Vadodara event
The Vadodara event also attracted attention for its unusual registration process.
For the first time, public participation for a Prime Minister’s programme was opened through free registration on BookMyShow, with the Vadodara Municipal Corporation using the private digital platform to manage registrations.
According to officials cited by PTI, all available seats were booked within an hour of registration opening.
The overwhelming response underlined the strong public interest surrounding Modi’s Vadodara visit — even as his apparent political jab at Rahul Gandhi added a sharper edge to the event.
For the BJP, the message was about truth and the aspirations of young Indians. For the Congress, the student campaign remains focused on questions over examinations and opportunities.
The political battle over who truly speaks for India’s youth, meanwhile, shows no signs of slowing down.
