Venue Nod Revoked, Congress Says Rahul Event Is On

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday said it would go ahead with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with students at KP Ground in Prayagraj on August 8, despite the Kayastha Pathshala Trust revoking permission for the venue.

Gandhi alleged that the BJP government was attempting to stop the programme and said it could not prevent him from raising students’ issues. In a post in Hindi on X, he said students of Allahabad University were protesting against fee hikes and seat cuts, and alleged that cases were being filed against them instead of addressing their concerns.

Gandhi claimed that the Modi government’s policy was to suppress the voice of the youth. "Ask a question, and you get a lathi charge; protest and you face cases, and raise your voice and you get pellet guns," he said.

Referring to the proposed visit, Gandhi said, "Ever since I decided to come to Prayagraj to hear the students' issues, the administration has been trying every possible way to stop my programme…It's clear that they are even afraid of 'Chhatron ki Goonj'.” "I stand with the students. No matter how hard the government tries, it cannot stop me from raising their voice," he asserted.

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said the party would hold the programme at the same venue and shared Gandhi’s itinerary. According to the schedule, Gandhi will leave Delhi at 2 pm on August 8, reach Prayagraj at around 3.30 pm, visit Anand Bhavan, and attend the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ interaction at KP Ground from 6 pm to 8.30 pm before returning to Delhi the same night.

The development comes a day after the KP Trust cancelled permission, citing an Allahabad High Court order dated August 14, 2025, which bars use of the ground for purposes other than sports and educational activities. The trust also cited waterlogging at the venue and said permission was subject to approval from the district magistrate, which had not been obtained.

Rai said the party had engaged with the district administration and claimed officials had assured cooperation. "We will hold the programme at the same venue (KP Ground)," he said.

Alleging political interference, Rai accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh of pressuring the trust to cancel the event.

Rejecting the allegation, BJP MLA Siddharth Nath Singh said the matter was between a private institution and the Congress. "Where does the government come into this? If the Congress has any written or verbal evidence that the government got Rahul Gandhi's programme cancelled, it should produce it," he said.