Newly appointed BJYM national president Hemang Joshi on Monday took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, claiming young people attend his ‘Chhatro Ki Goonj’ programmes mainly for the musical concerts and mock his understanding of Hindutva and Indianness.
Gandhi has so far held four events under the campaign, which focuses on issues concerning students and the youth.
Joshi, a BJP MP from Vadodara, took charge as the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national president at a function at the BJP headquarters extension office in Delhi. He was given a grand welcome by BJYM workers, who gathered with dhols and raised slogans in his support.
Speaking to news agency PTI before the event, Joshi alleged that Gandhi raises issues concerning young people without offering solutions and attempts to portray even positive developments as problems.
“As for Rahul Gandhi, the kind of programmes he is conducting among the youth, even he and his team know that young people attend those programmes primarily for musical concerts. He has never talked about what solutions he has to any of their problems,” Joshi said.
He also mocked Gandhi over his choice of attire, saying the Congress leader wore kurta-pyjama when he was younger to appear older and now wears T-shirts and jeans to appear young.
Referring to an old interview in which Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had claimed that her brother could debate BJP leaders on Hindutva because of his understanding of the subject, Joshi said the youth were now laughing at him.
“The youth are now laughing at him. His attempt to appear young after having tried to look older in his youth is destined to fail,” he said.
Joshi also accused unnamed political actors of attempting to categorise young people for political gain, arguing that defining youth solely by age was flawed. He alleged that such attempts could create anarchy similar to what had been witnessed in Bangladesh and Nepal.
He urged young people to remain cautious of what he described as negative influences, including drug addiction and “ideological pollution”, and called on them to contribute to the country's development.
“We have to stay away from all such vices, whether it is the vice of drug addiction or ideological pollution, and move forward towards a Viksit Bharat,” he said.
Outlining his priorities as BJYM chief, Joshi said he would build on the work of his predecessor, Tejasvi Surya, with a focus on strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level and channeling young people's energy towards the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
He said the youth wing would promote patriotism, work towards a drug-free India and encourage young people to become job creators through startups, artificial intelligence and other emerging sectors.
“The youth are not just the present of this country; they represent its future. We need to channel their energy positively; otherwise, it may go in unintended directions,” Joshi said.
(With inputs from PTI)