New Delhi, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A political controversy erupted on Thursday after permission for Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s proposed ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj was revoked just two days before the scheduled event, prompting sharp criticism from Congress leaders and other opposition parties.
Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to address students at KP Ground on August 8. However, the Kayastha Pathshala Trust, which owns the venue, withdrew its permission, citing unsafe conditions caused by continuous rainfall as well as a court order.
The Congress alleged that the cancellation was politically motivated and accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of attempting to prevent Rahul Gandhi from interacting with students.
Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai claimed that the move was part of a broader pattern of obstructing the party’s outreach to young people.
“First Kota in Rajasthan, then Dehradun in Uttarakhand, and now Prayagraj. The BJP government is making futile attempts everywhere to stop this dialogue between Rahul Gandhi and the youth,” Rai said in a post on X.
He asserted that the programme would go ahead in Prayagraj and appealed to students and competitive examination aspirants to reach the city on the scheduled date.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also reacted to the development, remarking, “Don’t know what they are afraid of,” when asked about the cancellation.
Senior Congress MP Vivek Tankha described the decision as a threat to democratic values.
“This amounts to throttling democracy,” he said while questioning the government’s approach towards democratic freedoms.
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi termed the cancellation “shameful”, alleging that the administration was trying to prevent interaction between the Leader of the Opposition and students.
“What could be more shameful than this? If the government itself is unwilling to engage with students, why stop the Leader of the Opposition from meeting them?” he said.
Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hassan also criticised the decision, calling it “unconstitutional”.
“In a democracy, everyone has the right to travel and interact with people. Preventing someone from doing so only reflects the weakness of the government,” she said.
The cancellation of the venue has triggered a fresh political confrontation, with the Congress accusing the ruling BJP of suppressing democratic engagement, while the organisers have cited administrative and safety-related reasons for withdrawing permission.
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