Rahul threatened by PM Modi’s popularity among youth: Piyush Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal claimed Rahul Gandhi feels threatened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's growing popularity among the youth. He also defended the Centre's examination reform measures, saying the BJP continues to enjoy strong support from Gen Z voters

Mumbai: Rahul Gandhi feels threatened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s growing popularity among the youth because the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha used to consider himself a “youth leader” but no longer enjoys the same appeal among them, Union minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal said on Sunday.

Claiming that the BJP continued to enjoy the support of young voters, Goyal said “Gen Z was always with us”. The youth would continue to back Modi’s vision of making India a developed nation, the Mumbai North Lok Sabha MP said.

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He also described Modi as the world’s “most popular leader”, saying his engagement with young people and his presence across social media platforms would help accelerate the country’s development.
“Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi feels threatened because of the growing popularity of PM Modi and the way he is connecting with the youth. Gandhi used to consider himself as a youth leader. It has been proven that he is no longer as popular as PM Modi,” Goyal told reporters.

Responding to questions on the youth protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi that later culminated in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister, Goyal defended the Centre’s handling of examination paper leaks, asserting the government had enacted stringent legislation under Modi’s leadership. The Congress-led UPA government had planned a legislation on examination paper leaks in 2010-11 but lacked the courage to introduce it, he claimed.

The NDA under Modi brought such a legislation in 2024 and later strengthened it through amendments that provided for stricter punishment and fast-track court trials, Goyal said. Opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party, had opposed the legislation in Parliament, he added.

“I can understand their disappointment and frustration as voters are rejecting them again and again. They are losing elections one after another. When the Bill was being discussed, they should have supported it. I condemn the Congress, Samajwadi Party, AAP etc for opposing the Bill,” he said. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha last week.