Fadnavis alleges bias in Rahul Gandhi’s Pune student event; Congress hits back

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis alleged that only students from colleges run by Congress leaders were invited for Rahul Gandhi’s 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Pune.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Aug 20, 2026 11:45 PM IST

Devendra Fadnavis Rahul Gandhi Chhatron Ki Goonj Pune

Congress leaders denied Devendra Fadnavis's allegation that only students from colleges run by Congress leaders were invited to Rahul Gandhi’s student outreach event, saying the CM seemed rattled by the response. (File Photos)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday alleged that only girl students who were handpicked from colleges run by Congress leaders were invited for Rahul Gandhi’s outreach event Chhatron Ki Goonj, scheduled in Pune on Saturday.

“It is a matter of joy. But instead of limiting his interactions to young people in colleges run by Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi should interact with youth across the board,” the Chief Minister said on Thursday.

“I have information that the Congress has invited only those students who are from colleges run by the Congress leaders. There are directions to Congress leaders to register only such students… Nevertheless, they are also our students,” Fadnavis added.

Congress’s Yashomati Thakur and Satej Patil denied the claim, saying the event was open to all students.

“Fadnavis is thinking in a very narrow-minded way. How can an institute belong to a BJP or a Congress leader? They are educational institutes, and they belong to this country. Students are welcome to the event. There is an open invitation for all… I think there is fear in his mind and that is why he is talking in this manner,” said Thakur.

Alleging that Fadnavis’s remark sounded like a threat, she added, “By issuing threats, no one can stop students from coming to the event. Our country’s policy is give and take respect. As chief minister, Fadnavis should not cause a dent in it. We are proud that he is our chief minister, but it does not behoove him to behave narrow-mindedly.”

“Gen Z and millennials are attracted to Rahul Gandhi’s ideas and ideology. They like the basic fabric of our country, which is secularism, so Fadnavis is seeking to create a controversy. He seems to be gripped by fear because a large number of students have registered for the event. Change is important, and things are changing for the better of the country,” Thakur said.

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Rahul a ray of hope for students: MLC

MLC Satej Patil, who managed the Pune event, denied only students from colleges owned by Congress leaders would attend. “That is a blatantly untrue statement. The event is open to all, and students from across Maharashtra will attend. There is massive enthusiasm among the students, which is reflected in the registrations,” he said, adding that students can register for the event online by scanning a QR code.

Patil also said Fadnavis seemed rattled by the response to the event. “For youngsters, Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a new ray of hope. The BJP knows this, and that is why Fadnavis is trying to give it a different direction,” he said.

He denied that the Congress was using events like this to prepare for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. “The event is not being held under the Congress banner. There will be no Congress posters or banners on stage. It is a neutral event. It was Rahul Gandhi who had first raised the issue of NEET paper leak in the country. It was Rahul Gandhi who exposed the leak of 150 exam papers in the country. The younger generation is finding a powerful voice in Rahul Gandhi and is therefore keen to interact with him. The Congress’s objective is to highlight the problems of the youth and back them,” Patil said.

Another Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “The Congress opened schools and colleges in the country and not ‘shakhas’ (branches). Therefore students will be coming from schools and colleges… Rahul Gandhi will be interacting with students from not in Pune but from different parts of Maharashtra. They are seeing a ray of hope in him and therefore are enthusiastic to meet him.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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