Nation

IIE DIGITAL: Political and student organisations have launched separate initiatives aimed at engaging India's younger generation, with a focus on education, unemployment and the concerns of Gen Z.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday announced that it will begin its nationwide 'Kya Bolti Public' campaign in September. Speaking after the party's core committee meeting in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, founder Abhijeet Dipke said the initiative would involve travelling across the country to interact directly with citizens, particularly young people, to understand their aspirations, concerns and expectations from politics.

Dipke said the party intends to function as a pressure group seeking to reshape political discourse by giving greater importance to public opinion. Recalling the recent student demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, he said one of the biggest concerns among Gen Z was that their voices were often ignored by policymakers.

He argued that with nearly 65 per cent of India's population below the age of 35, young people must play a central role in shaping public policy. According to him, issues such as education reform, unemployment and affordable education should take precedence over divisive political debates.

The CJP also announced that a delegation would visit Ranchi to meet students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and extend support to their movement.

Meanwhile, the All India Students' Association (AISA) unveiled its nationwide campaign, 'Gen Z Rising', aimed at expanding the momentum of recent student protests across the country.

As part of the initiative, AISA national president Neha will embark on a multi-state tour covering Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and several other states. The campaign seeks to mobilise students around issues including education reforms, unemployment and entrance examination policies.

The tour officially began on August 7 with a visit to Ranchi, where students have been protesting over alleged recruitment and examination irregularities.

Adding to the youth outreach efforts, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Instagram, inviting students and members of Gen Z to interact with him directly. Sharing the initiative on social media, Rahul said he wanted to listen to the concerns of young people and answer as many questions as possible.

Responding to a question about the student protests in Jharkhand, Rahul asserted that every government should pay attention to students' voices and respond to their concerns, reinforcing the need for greater engagement with the country's youth.