Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reached Prayagraj on Saturday to address students at the ‘Students’ Voice’ programme. Congress leaders claimed that more than 2 lakh students had registered for the event.
Gandhi arrived at the airport at around 1.30 pm and went straight to Swaraj Bhawan, where he met party leaders. The historic building was the birthplace of his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It is now a museum displaying objects linked to the Nehru-Gandhi family and India’s freedom movement.
Congress puts up ‘No jobs, no throne’ posters
Congress workers put up posters across Prayagraj ahead of Gandhi’s programme. The posters read: “If there are no jobs, the throne will shake.”
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said the government was afraid of Gandhi.
“Everyone in the government is afraid of Rahul Gandhi. BJP leaders are nervous because they have done nothing for students or in the national interest,” Rai said.
₹2 crore pandal set up for programme
A pandal costing around ₹2 crore has been erected for the event. A VIP lounge has been set up at the rear, along with eight stalls for VIP guests.
Tea and drinking water have been arranged for students at the venue. Dinner has also been arranged for some students. Free e-rickshaw services have been made available to help students reach the venue.
Gandhi had visited Swaraj Bhawan in February 2024
Gandhi had earlier visited Swaraj Bhawan in February 2024 during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
He launched the ‘Students’ Voice’ programme from Kota, Rajasthan, on June 17. He later interacted with students and young people in Dehradun on July 17.
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Tight security arrangements have been made for Rahul Gandhi’s visit. The security team will include three IPS officers, three ADCPs, eight ACPs, around 1,000 police personnel, one-and-a-half companies of PAC, five Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and nine reserve teams.
Police will be deployed along the entire route from Bamrauli Airport to Anand Bhawan and then to KP Ground.
Prayagraj is the third phase of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Students’ Voice’ campaign. The campaign began in Kota.
In the second phase, he met students and their families in Dehradun who had been affected by irregularities in examinations.
Gandhi is scheduled to interact with students at the ‘Students’ Voice’ programme at KP College Ground at 6 pm.
Students from 23 districts have been invited to the event. The Congress claims that more than 2 lakh students have registered.
Gandhi is expected to raise issues including unemployment, the NEET paper leak, irregularities in recruitment examinations and police action against protesting students.
