The Congress party marked the 55th birthday of Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, 19 June, by organising a large-scale job fair at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi. The event was positioned as a celebration of what the party described as Gandhi’s “solution-oriented politics.”
According to the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), more than 100 companies participated in the fair, offering over 5,000 job opportunities. Thousands of young job seekers attended the event, and around 3,500 individuals were handed appointment letters by the end of the day.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal praised the initiative, commending the IYC for tying the celebration to employment efforts. He called the job fair a strong message to the country, especially in the context of rising concerns over youth employment.
Political observers see the event as part of the Congress party’s broader strategy to combine symbolic gestures with practical outreach, especially aimed at engaging younger citizens. Alongside the job fair, the IYC and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) held public screenings of the film *Phule*, a biographical feature based on the lives of social reformers Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule.
NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar noted that these activities were part of a coordinated national effort to mark Gandhi’s birthday. He praised the job fair and social initiatives, calling them a thoughtful way to honour Gandhi, whom he referred to as a “justice warrior”.
Among those attending the film screenings was senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot. In a post on social media, he highlighted the Phule couple’s lifelong struggle against social discrimination and described their legacy as an inspiration.
The Congress party used the occasion to underscore Rahul Gandhi’s political and social values, portraying him as a leader committed to justice and compassion. In a statement, the party described him as a crusader for justice and praised his integrity and commitment to public service.
Later in the day, Gandhi met with party members and supporters at the Congress headquarters at 24 Akbar Road. He then visited his mother Sonia Gandhi at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where she is being treated for a stomach infection. During his visit, he distributed sweets to hospital staff and thanked them for their care.
