The Congress on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttarakhand government of attempting to obstruct Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's proposed public programme in Dehradun after authorities revoked permission for the event at Parade Ground. The party alleged that the decision reflected the BJP's fear of Rahul Gandhi's growing outreach, while the district administration said it had offered an alternative venue for the programme. The event, titled "Chhatro Ki Goonj", is part of the Congress' nationwide campaign focusing on issues affecting students, including paper leaks, examination irregularities, cancelled recruitment tests, repeated re-examinations and rising education costs.

The campaign seeks to highlight concerns over recruitment processes and the challenges faced by students preparing for competitive examinations across the country. Reacting to the administration's decision, Congress leaders criticised the BJP government, claiming it was trying to prevent Rahul Gandhi from interacting with students and young people. The party argued that withdrawing permission for the Parade Ground venue was politically motivated and accused the state government of attempting to suppress opposition programmes.

Congress maintained that the BJP was "scared" of Rahul Gandhi's public meetings and the issues being raised through the campaign. The Dehradun district administration, however, offered an alternative venue for the event after revoking the original permission. While officials did not publicly elaborate on the reasons behind the change, they indicated that the programme could still go ahead at the alternate location. The administration's move was presented as an effort to facilitate the event while addressing administrative or logistical considerations.

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The "Chhatro Ki Goonj" campaign has been launched by the Congress to draw attention to recurring controversies surrounding competitive examinations and recruitment processes.  Over the past few years, allegations of question paper leaks, cancelled examinations and delays in recruitment have sparked protests by students in several states, making the issue a prominent political talking point. The latest dispute over the venue has further intensified the political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP in Uttarakhand.

While the Congress views the revocation of permission as an attempt to curb democratic political activity, the state administration has maintained that an alternative venue remains available for the programme. With Rahul Gandhi expected to continue his nationwide outreach on education and employment issues, the controversy has added another political dimension to the campaign. The focus is now likely to shift to whether the event proceeds at the alternative venue and how both parties use the episode in the run-up to future political engagements.

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