August 19, 2026

The meeting of the Congress Working Committee was held on August19, 2026, at Indira Bhavan, New Delhi, to review the current political situation in the country and discuss three specific issues. First, the Congress Working Committee is deeply distressed by the plight of our youth. The younger generation is facing disappointment and betrayal from the Modi government at every turn. Over the past decade, paper leaks have assumed epidemic proportions, with at least 152 cases of paper leaks reported since 2014. The recent cancellation and re-conduct of the NEET examination alone resulted in at least 26 student suicides, while more than 90 other students have lost their lives for similar reasons over the past five years. Young people are bearing the greatest brunt of unemployment, and with 12 years having passed and opportunities shrinking, their circumstances continue to worsen. Unemployment among educated youth has now become a crisis of systemic government failure. The unemployment rate among graduates and postgraduates is even higher than among those without formal education.

The Congress Working Committee strongly condemns the arbitrary and brutal repression unleashed by the Modi government against student movements – including attacks on young women and children, the use of electric shock batons, tear gas, pellet guns and AK-47s, and the blatant censorship of voices of dissent. The refusal of the Prime Minister and Home Minister to face Parliament and answer for these serious failures demonstrates not only their cowardice in India’s democratic history, but also their complete indifference and disregard for the future of the country. Shri Rahul Gandhi has actively raised the voices and concerns of India’s youth through the dedicated ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, which is receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. He has also written to the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, urging him to adopt a sensitive and just approach towards protesting students. He has consistently made it clear that India’s education system cannot be held hostage to privatisation, centralisation and the regressive shackles of the RSS-BJP.

The Congress Working Committee also notes that sustained pressure from student groups and the united Opposition – both inside and outside Parliament – compelled the education minister to resign.

Second, the Congress Working Committee is deeply concerned by serious allegations and evidence of donation theft in Ayodhya. On 5 February 2020, Prime Minister Modi himself announced in Parliament the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and sought to personally appropriate credit for the construction of the Shri Ram Temple. He publicly claimed credit for every major milestone associated with the temple – even leading the Pran Pratishtha ceremony while construction of the temple remained incomplete, and inviting people from across the country to participate in the ceremony. People from every section of society contributed their offerings and donations to the temple. Those entrusted with the management of the Trust are individuals associated with the BJP-RSS. At a time when serious reports of the theft of these offerings are emerging, the Prime Minister’s attempt to distance himself from the Trust by claiming that this is a matter for the state government is unacceptable. Accountability in leadership must begin at the very top.

The Congress Party demands an independent investigation into the matter under the supervision of the Supreme Court, along with a comprehensive audit of all the Trust’s accounts and assets – including cash and valuables.

Third, the Congress Working Committee is deeply concerned that the Modi government is sacrificing India’s agricultural and energy security, as well as its strategic sovereignty, in the face of American pressure. At the same time, reports of Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh are deeply alarming. According to local fact-finding reports, PLA personnel have effectively prevented Indian forces from accessing key patrolling points and conducting patrols, while continuing to encroach upon grazing and usage areas traditionally accessed by Indian citizens along the LAC. Despite this, the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister have maintained a mysterious silence on this serious matter.

This is a painful reminder of the clean chit Prime Minister Modi openly gave China after Galwan in June 2020, when, amid similar restrictions on Indian troops’ access to the area, 20 Indian soldiers were martyred. The irony is stark: the government talks about showing China a “laal aankh”, while the ground reality makes Prime Minister Modi appear cowardly in defending India’s territorial integrity – even as his economic policies are widening the trade deficit with China and, in effect, financing the very aggression it is his duty to prevent.

Finally, the Congress Working Committee reiterates its concern over E20’s lower mileage, compatibility risks and the loss of consumer choice. Additionally, concerns over fuel contamination and the environmental costs of diverting sugarcane and maize to fuel that remain unresolved demand urgent attention and speedy redressal.

The Congress Working Committee further reiterates its commitment to the immediate implementation of women’s reservation.

The Congress Working Committee reinforces its demand that the constitutional freeze on the current strength of the Lok Sabha and its present allocation among the states be extended for the next 25 years, while one-third reservation for women be implemented from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections itself.