# Tharoor says Congress youth outreach failed to match CJP protests

2026-08-08T04:46:38+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Friday that the party's 'Chhatron ki Goonj' campaign, led by Rahul Gandhi, failed to generate the same public response as the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) recent protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. Speaking in Mumbai, Tharoor asked where the party failed to listen to Gen Z. The Congress had taken up paper-leak issues in Kota, Dehradun, and Prayagraj since June but got little resonance, he said. Ahead of Gandhi's Prayagraj event Saturday, the Indian Youth Congress announced 250-plus live-streaming venues nationwide. CJP's Jantar Mantar protests since June 20 had drawn student crowds and support from activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was later removed from the site. On July 20, police action against protesting students triggered a political row. Tharoor's remarks are the first open critique by a senior Congress figure of the party's own youth outreach.

## Coverage

- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/chhatron-ki-goonj-failed-to-have-impact-on-youth-shashi-tharoor-gives-reality-check-to-rahul-gandhi-article-155383813>
- hindustantimes.com <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/shashi-tharoor-congress-chhatron-ki-goonj-paper-leak-protest-neet-rahul-gandhi-did-not-resonate-as-much-as-cjp-101786155888273.html>

Tags: Chhatron Ki Goonj, Congress, Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, student protests, youth politics
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