BJP slams Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s Dehradun venue row

The BJP on Wednesday criticised the Congress over its claim that permission for party leader Rahul Gandhi’s July 17 event at Dehradun’s Parade Ground was revoked, alleging that several alternative venues have already been made available for the programme.

The remarks came after the Congress staged a sit-in at Parade Ground in Dehradun on Tuesday after the district administration cancelled permission for Gandhi’s event, ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ (Voice of Students), saying another programme is being held at the venue.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the Congress is looking for an excuse as Gandhi is planning to go on another vacation.

“Stop playing the false victim card. Several additional venues have already been made available. It seems Rahul Gandhi wants to go on a vacation and is looking for an excuse to cancel his programme.

“The country’s Gen Z has already seen through the Congress party’s lies,” Bhandari said in a post on social media. The event will now be held at the Bannu School ground, Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal said on Tuesday night.

Earlier in the day, Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said a central government programme at Parade Ground was scheduled to end on July 15 but has been extended till July 17.

The administration’s objective is not to stop any event, he said.