Indore, Sep 18 (IANS) Congress MP Pawan Khera on Friday raised questions over the difficulties faced by the party in organising Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, a day before the Congress leader is scheduled to arrive in the city for the student outreach event.

Addressing a press conference in Indore, Khera referred to the controversy over a security-related note issued ahead of Gandhi’s visit and alleged that the Congress had faced hurdles while organising programmes in Madhya Pradesh.

He said, “No, it was not as if the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi Ji was mentioned earlier in the four or five instances that occurred, but yes, difficulties were created.”

Khera recalled working in Bhopal during the tenure of former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and said the Congress accommodated political opponents during that period.

He noted, “I have worked in this state when Digvijaya Singh was the Chief Minister. I worked in this state from 1995 to 1998, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a national executive meeting during Digvijaya Singh Ji’s tenure. Digvijaya Singh Ji himself welcomed that executive meeting and even arranged for meals. I am telling you this tradition of the Congress.”

The Congress has also objected to how the venue for Gandhi’s programme was handled. The event was initially planned at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium but was later shifted to a ground near Regional Park after the stadium could not be secured. The party later obtained a temporary land allotment from the Indore Development Authority. The issue remained contentious after the civic agency sought additional payment from the Congress for using the ground.

Khera said the student outreach programme would focus on issues concerning young people, including employment and recruitment. He remarked, “If you change the name, will their fate change? Will their situation change? Will paper leaks stop? Will people start getting jobs? I don’t want to divert my attention from basic questions.”

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, who reached Indore on Friday, said the programme was the fifth edition of Rahul Gandhi’s student outreach initiative. “This time he has chosen Indore. Indore is a major centre of education, and nearly one and a half lakh students have already registered themselves here. Hence, we are fully confident that this will be a successful programme,” Singh said.

Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Umang Singhar also questioned the reference to the Verma Commission report concerning former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and raised questions over the withdrawal of SPG protection from the Gandhi family.

LoP Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore on Saturday, where he is expected to interact with students on issues concerning education, employment, and recruitment.

–IANS

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