Ahead of his interaction with students in Dehradun on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that Uttarakhand has become an epicentre of paper leaks and vowed not to let the future of youth be "auctioned off."
Gandhi said he is visiting Dehradun on July 17th because 'Devbhoomi' has been turned into an "epicentre" of paper leaks.
"A 'system' has taken root here regarding UKSSSC (Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission) exams, where positions like Patwari or Lekhpal are secured not through merit, but at rates fixed by criminals," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged.
The government enacted an anti-cheating law but the leaks continued, he said.
"The law remained merely on paper, while exam papers continued to be sold in the market. Just imagine: a student prepares for years. The student fills out the form, pays the fees, and travels to a distant exam centre. Yet, the position meant for that student is bought by someone else," Gandhi said.
This isn't just a leak, it is theft, he asserted.
"Theft of that young person's rights, livelihood, and future," he said.
"I say to every aspirant, every student, and every young person in Uttarakhand - this is your fight, and I stand with you. July 17, Dehradun. Come, let us turn the 'Voice of Students' (Chhatron Ki Goonj) into a powerful roar," he said.
"We will not let the future be auctioned off. We will not let dreams be leaked off," Gandhi said.
Permission denied for Rahul's student event at Parade Ground
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's proposed "Chhatron Ki Goonj" interaction with students in Dehradun on Friday has triggered a political row after the administration withdrew permission for the event at Parade Ground.
Gandhi, who is scheduled to visit Uttarakhand on July 17, will interact with students on recruitment scams, paper leaks, rising education costs and issues in the education system. In a social media post, he alleged that Uttarakhand had become the "epicentre" of paper leaks.
Congress chief spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasouni told TNIE that the programme would now be held at Bannu School Ground. She alleged that permission for Parade Ground was withdrawn in a "dictatorial manner".
Dasouni said the Pradesh Congress Committee had booked the venue for three days and deposited Rs 1.77 lakh after obtaining permission from the Dehradun Municipal Corporation. She said the approval was cancelled on Tuesday evening and Bannu School Ground was offered as an alternative.
State Congress president Ganesh Godiyal, Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya and senior leaders Pritam Singh and Harak Singh Rawat staged a protest outside Parade Ground. After the administration declined to review its decision, the event material was shifted to the new venue.
“The BJP government is frightened, but Congress will not be intimidated,” Godiyal said. “Its intentions are questionable, and it stands exposed on accountability and transparency. Rahul Gandhi’s programme will be historic.”
Arya questioned why permission was cancelled despite the ground being vacant and the fee having been paid. “It is clear that the government is afraid of Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt rejected the allegation, saying Congress had not mentioned Gandhi's programme in its initial application and had "concealed facts". He said the Centre had extended the ongoing Lok Samvardhan Parv at Parade Ground by two days as cultural events could not be held during the period of national mourning.
Dasouni said more than three lakh students from Uttarakhand and other parts of the country had registered on the campaign website by Thursday afternoon. She said the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign, launched in Kota, Rajasthan, is being expanded across the country as an organisational initiative.