NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wished people on Friendship Day with a Gen Z-style post, using the popular Korean finger heart emoji while joking that he had only just learnt its meaning.Sharing a photo on Instagram, Rahul wrote, “Still a student, still learning something new every day. Today’s lesson: it’s Friendship Day and this 🫰 is a heart. Happy Friendship Day, everyone. Lots of love!”The Congress MP has increasingly tried to connect with younger audiences through social media, informal interactions and youth-focused campaigns. In recent months, he has frequently addressed students, spoken about issues such as paper leaks and unemployment and referred to ‘Gen Z’ in several speeches and social media posts.He has also interacted with students in India and abroad, sharing videos of conversations on careers, anxiety, education and democracy. During the nationwide ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, Rahul repeatedly urged young people to raise their voices over examination irregularities and recruitment issues.
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More recently, he appealed directly to Gen Z on social media over electoral issues, saying the youth would ‘protect the Constitution, defend democracy and prevent vote theft’. In another post, he advised young people that ‘nothing in life is linear’ and encouraged them to stay flexible and persevere.The finger heart is a popular gesture that originated in South Korea and has become a global internet trend through K-pop, K-dramas and social media. It is made by crossing the thumb and index finger to resemble a tiny heart.The gesture is widely used to express affection, gratitude, friendship or appreciation and has become especially popular among Gen Z users across platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp and X.Rahul Gandhi’s use of the symbol on Friendship Day marks another attempt by the Congress leader to communicate in a style familiar to younger internet users.
