Rahul Gandhi Prayagraj Event Permission Cancelled: Congress Demands New Venue

The Kayastha Pathshala Trust has revoked permission for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme, scheduled to be held at KP Ground here on August 8, citing an Allahabad High Court order.

The trust also cited waterlogging at the venue for the cancellation. The trust's acting president, Jitendra Nath Chaudhary, told PTI that the Allahabad High Court, in an order dated August 14, 2025, had directed that the KP College ground should not be used for purposes other than sports and educational activities. He said the ground was also waterlogged after rain and was unsafe for a public event.

Chaudhary said the permission granted to the Congress was conditional upon approval from the district magistrate. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha was scheduled to interact with students on alleged paper leaks and other matters affecting students at the gathering. On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai visited Prayagraj to review preparations for the event. Rai asserted that Gandhi will come to Prayagraj on August 8 and interact with students despite the KP Trust revoking permission for the venue.

Addressing reporters in the evening, Rai urged the state government and district administration to provide an alternative venue for the programme. He alleged that the BJP government was "afraid" of Gandhi and claimed the event was being obstructed for political reasons. Gandhi's programmes in Kota and Dehradun had similarly been cancelled, Rai claimed