By Khalid Akhter, IANS,
New Delhi : Here comes another initiative from Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi targeting youth — a commercial news magazine that is expected to hit the stands this month.
Young March, a monthly, will not be a mouthpiece of the Youth Congress like Sandesh is of the Congress, say those behind it.
“It will be a political affairs magazine. We would like to cover other aspects as well, such as economy and society,” Youth Congress general secretary Chayanika Uniyal, who will be its editor, told IANS.
Rahul Gandhi, 38, thought of the magazine as the next step after introducing organisational elections in the party’s youth wing and conducting a talent hunt among youngsters.
Uniyal said: “We want the youth of the country to understand our party’s ideology and the service that it has done to the nation. It is with this idea that the magazine is being launched. The magazine will be made available in the market just like any other publication.”
It will be published in both Hindi and English.
The cover price is yet to be finalised but it would “not drill a big hole in the general youth’s pocket.” The launch date is yet undecided but the magazine is expected to hit the stands by the end of this month.
The periodical would have a five-member editorial board. Uniyal, Amit Jogi, the son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, Pradyut Dev Burman, Mrinal Pant and Chandan Yadav will form the editorial board of the magazine. They are all youth Congress members.
Asked if there would be regular columns by Rahul Gandhi, she said: “All these things are being discussed at this stage, but we expect him and other intellectuals of the party to write on a regular basis.”
Whether advertisements would be accepted or the publication would be financed by the party was still under discussion, she said.
“As for advertisements, it is being discussed whether we should take ads or not, and in case we do, what kind of ads. Obviously, we will not promote liqour and cigarettes through our magazine. In case, we don’t take ads, then it will be funded by the party.”
“The basic aim of the magazine is not revenue generation. Basically, we want to take our vision for India to the youth of this country,” Uniyal said.
Just like his father, the late Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi was ushered into the organisation as general secretary in 2007 and put in charge of the Youth Congress and the National Students of Union of India (NSUI), the party’s student wing.
Since his entry into politics, the Gandhi scion has been making efforts to revive the party’s youth wing and attract more youngsters.
(Khalid Akhter can be contacted at [email protected])