Uttarakhand govt trying to foil Rahul Gandhi's event but huge turnout expected: Congress

Dehradun, Congress leaders in Uttarakhand claimed that the BJP government in Uttarakhand was trying to prevent students from attending Rahul Gandhi's event in Dehradun but said he expected a huge turnout of youth.

Senior Congress leaders on Thursday inspected the venue of the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (Voice of Students) event and took stock of the arrangements.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Gandhi is scheduled to attend the event on Friday amid the opposition's criticism of alleged irregularities in NEET and other exams.


The programme was moved to the Bannu School ground here after the administration cancelled its permission for the event at the bigger 'Parade Ground'.

The administration said the Congress event was cancelled due to an extension granted for another event already taking place at the ground until July 17.

Senior Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat, however, alleged that this was the government's plan to not let a big crowd at Gandhi's event.

"I think 20,000-25,000 students are expected to come for the event. Over 4 lakh people have registered. If 10 per cent of them come, it still amounts to around 20,000-25000 students. This (Bannu School) ground does not have such capacity.

"I think the BJP did this deliberately. Parade Ground is empty. No 'mela' is being held there. The place for the 'mela' is different and the place for our programme is different," Rawat said.

Rawat said this was not an attempt to foil Gandhi's programme but an attempt to "crush the voices of students, youth speaking out against paper leaks".

"The roar of Dehradun's students will reach every corner of the country. All big revolutions are started by students and youth," he said.

He also said the BJP was preventing students in schools and colleges across the state from attending Gandhi's event. However, he asserted that a large number of youths would still attend.

State Congress president Ganesh Godiyal informed that the event would begin at 5 pm on Friday, with Gandhi expected to arrive at the venue at 7 pm.

He added that Gandhi would depart from Dehradun around 9 pm.

Godiyal noted that although Bannu Ground is smaller than Parade Ground, there is immense enthusiasm among students regarding the event.

NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar claimed that the state government was rattled by Gandhi's popularity, which is why permission for the event at the larger Parade Ground was denied.

He stated that this event would boost the morale of students preparing for competitive exams, and thousands of students from various districts of Uttarakhand are arriving in Dehradun to participate.

Gandhi said on Thursday he is visiting Dehradun because 'Devbhoomi' has been turned into an "epicentre" of paper leaks.

"A 'system' has taken root here regarding UKSSSC (Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission) exams, where positions like Patwari or Lekhpal are secured not through merit, but at rates fixed by criminals," he alleged.