Permission for Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's student outreach programme 'Chhatron ki Goonj', scheduled at KP Ground in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh on 8 August, was revoked just two days before the event — triggering a sharp political row, with Congress leaders alleging the cancellation was engineered by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. The Kayastha Pathshala Trust, which owns the venue, cited 'unsafe conditions' due to incessant rains and a court order as grounds for withdrawal.

What Led to the Cancellation

The Kayastha Pathshala Trust revoked the booking for KP Ground citing two reasons: persistent heavy rainfall rendering the venue unsafe, and a court order. Gandhi was scheduled to address a gathering of students at the ground on 8 August. The cancellation came less than 48 hours before the event, leaving organisers and attendees with little time to arrange an alternative.

Congress, however, rejected the stated reasons as a pretext, alleging that the revocation was orchestrated at the behest of the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh administration. The party has been running the 'Chhatron ki Goonj' series as a nationwide student engagement initiative for Gandhi.

A Pattern of Disruptions, Congress Alleges

UP Congress president Ajay Rai claimed the Prayagraj episode was not an isolated incident but part of a deliberate strategy to disrupt the event series. 'First Kota (Rajasthan), then Dehradun (Uttarakhand), and now Prayagraj — the BJP government is making futile attempts everywhere to stop this historic dialogue between the youth and Rahul Gandhi,' Rai said in a post on X. He announced the programme would proceed in Prayagraj regardless and appealed to students and examination aspirants to attend.

Notably, this is at least the third city where permission-related disruptions have reportedly affected the 'Chhatron ki Goonj' series, according to Congress leaders — a pattern the party is using to build a broader political narrative ahead of upcoming state elections.

Opposition Voices Grow Louder

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, responding to reporters, offered a pointed one-liner: 'Don't know what they are afraid of.' Congress MP Vivek Tankha, speaking on Parliament premises, called the cancellation 'throttling democracy' and questioned the government's commitment to democratic values.

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi labelled the conduct 'shameful'. 'What could be more shameful than this? You are afraid of a students' programme. You are unwilling to engage with students yourselves, and when the Leader of Opposition goes to interact with them, you cancel the permission for the programme,' he said.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Iqra Hassan called the move 'unconstitutional', stating: 'In a democracy, everyone has the right to go anywhere, and preventing someone from doing so only reflects the weakness of the government.'

BJP Yet to Formally Respond

As of the time of reporting, the BJP had not issued a formal statement directly addressing Congress's allegations of political interference in the venue cancellation. The Uttar Pradesh administration has not publicly commented on whether any official direction was given to the trust or the courts in connection with the event.

What Happens Next

Congress leaders have insisted the event will go ahead in Prayagraj on 8 August, suggesting an alternative venue may be arranged. The episode is likely to intensify political tensions in Uttar Pradesh, a state that remains critical electoral ground for both the BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc. How the Gandhi camp navigates the logistical challenge — and whether the event draws a large student turnout despite the disruption — will be closely watched.