Journalism of Courage
Rahul Gandhi’s Pune event: BJP questions funding, Congress hits back
The Maharashtra BJP questioned the funding for Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj event, even as the Congress’s Pune unit said more than 30,000 students had registered for it.
The video led to a clash between ABVP and NSUI on Friday night, a day before Rahul Gandhi's Chhatron Ki Goonj student interaction in Pune. (File Photo)
Hours before Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s student outreach programme, Chhatron Ki Goonj, in Pune, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban on Saturday raised five questions directed at the Congress, casting doubt on the funding sources for the event.
Ban alleged that students were being given Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 each to attend the event and asked who was behind the payments. The allegations were made amid the Congress’s Pune unit claiming that more than 30,000 students had registered online for the event.
“Secondly, when money is being distributed to nearly 3,000 people, where did this extravagant spending come from? Rahul Gandhi and Congress should account for this,” he said. Alleging that the event costs Rs 9 to Rs 10 crore, Ban suggested the money could have come from foreign funding. “Another question is whether this money came from transactions or commissions by contractors in Congress-ruled states. Congress has governments in Karnataka and Kerala…,” he added.
A Congress spokesperson said the allegations did not deserve any response. “The BJP has developed cold feet. It is getting jittery looking at the massive response Rahul Gandhi’s Pune event is getting,” the spokesperson said.
Sanjay Raut slams restrictions
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised the conditions imposed during Rahul Gandhi’s visit and alleged the BJP was misusing the police. The Pune police have imposed conditions like complying with noise pollution norms, avoiding the use of drones, not putting up banners with offensive or objectionable content, etc.
“Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha; he is a distinguished national leader. Yet, the police imposed excessive conditions on his visit. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah or other BJP leaders visit, they are never subjected to such restrictions. Yesterday, ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) members engaged in hooliganism, but cases were filed against NSUI (National Students’ Union of India) leaders,” he alleged.
Raut was referring to a clash between ABVP and NSUI members at the COEP hostel campus on Friday. “The police have filed an FIR from the ABVP side, but our FIR is yet to be registered. We will be approaching the police again to file a cross-complaint,” Congress youth leader Akshay Jain said.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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