White is the New Orange? What Rahul Gandhi's T-Shirt Campaign Means Amid NEET-NET Anger

The plain white T-shirt has become synonymous with Rahul Gandhi. Made famous during his Bharat Jodo Yatras, the Congress leader explained his sartorial choice on his birthday – it denotes ‘transparency’ and ‘simplicity’.

It is the former that Rahul Gandhi is invoking now in the backdrop of protests and anger over alleged paper leaks as the Congress leader launched the white T-shirt campaign on his birthday, June 19, calling for supporters to don the simple attire.

In a video posted on social media, Rahul Gandhi explained that the white T-shirt “symbolises transparency, solidity and simplicity for me”. He called on people to send him a video explaining the important of these values in their lives using the hashtag #WhiteTshirtArmy.

The timing of this campaign is crucial. There is considerable anger among the youth over alleged paper leaks and irregularities that have forced the cancellation of UGC-NET exam and sparked demands for the cancelation of NEET-UG 2024. The issue is an emotive one in an aspirational country like India, affecting not just the exam candidates but their families who take out education loans to fund the exam prep as well as tutors and teachers who invest in the student.

Associating transparency with a simple white T-shirt, the campaign hopes to nurture a future voter base for the party. And just like the ‘Modi shirt’ campaign on NaMo app in the Prime Minister’s last term, it makes for a visual piece of statement.

Moreover, unlike the BJP, the congress doesn’t have cadre-level workers. Starting the T-shirt campaign aims to call and gather youth who are disillusioned over issues like paper leaks, rising prices and unemployment.

With the Congress crediting the two Bharat Jodo Yatras carried out by Rahul Gandhi for its improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the white T-shirt campaign is being seen as an extension, connecting and reaching out to the people.

And with the colour in question denoting peace, the Congress hopes it can be a counter to the BJP’s ‘saffron’ push. In his post, Rahul Gandhi said those who send him reply videos will receive a white T-shirt from him. These will bear the ‘RG’ signature.

Sources say Rahul Gandhi had the idea for the T-shirt campaign since last year but buoyed by the election results and hoping to tap into the NEET/NET protests, the Congress leader feels the time to strike is now.