Stadium rejected, Congress gets alternative venue for Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore

“Chhatraon Ki Goonj” is a student dialogue campaign launched by Rahul Gandhi to take on the BJP on issues like question paper leaks, expensive education, government recruitment irregularities and unemployment. File. | Photo credit: PTI

After being denied permission to use the Indore stadium, the Congress on Friday (September 11, 2026) paid over ₹10 crore to rent an alternative venue in the city for party leader Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming program ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’.

Accusing the ruling BJP of deliberately delaying permission out of panic, Congress leaders confirmed that the party had secured a three-day lease of 12,000 square meters of land in front of the Regional Park from the Indore Development Authority for a student-oriented event.

An Indore Development Authority (IDA) official said the land in front of the regional park was temporarily leased to the Congress from September 17 to September 19 and the fee was fixed at ₹ 10.08 lakh as per the prevailing rates.

A letter from the IDA to Indore City Congress Committee Chairman Chintu Chouksey said permission to hold the event would be issued after deposit of funds subject to prescribed conditions.

The letter also stated that the organizers will be responsible for ensuring necessary security measures at the venue and obtaining no-objection certificates from the relevant departments.

Speaking to PTI, City Congress Committee President Chouksey said, “We have deposited the agreed amount in the IDA bank account.” He alleged that the BJP government was nervous about Gandhi’s upcoming event in Indore and in that panic harassed the Congress over the venue.

“Initially we wanted to hold the event at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on September 12, but after we did not get the permission, we had to change the date to September 19. We were forced to run for 10 days on the land in front of the regional park,” Chouksey said.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where the opposition party initially sought permission for the programme, comes under the municipal corporation.

Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said that as per the old order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the stadium can only be used for sports or state-level events.

Alok Dubey, public prosecutor for media, said that the Congress is indulging in propaganda politics and the public knows the truth about the party.

He mockingly said at the Congress that the name of the Gandhi event should be changed from “Chhatron Ki Goonj” to “Jhooth Ki Goonj”. The Congress, meanwhile, has named the event venue as ‘Bharat Jodo Maidan’ and claims that around 1.5 million students have registered for the programme.

“Chhatraon Ki Goonj” is a student dialogue campaign launched by Mr. Gandhi to corner the BJP on issues like question paper leaks, expensive education, government recruitment irregularities and unemployment.

Four editions of the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ program have been organized so far in Kota, Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune under the leadership of Mr. Gandhi.

The previous one, held in Pune on August 22, was for female students.

Published – 12 Sep 2026 07:11 IST