Rahul Gandhi To Interact With Female Students In Pune On August 22: Here’s How You Can Register

Pune: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Pune on 22nd August for an interaction with female students under the party’s ‘Chhatron Ki Gunj’ programme. The event will be held in the evening and will be exclusively for female students. Congress leaders said male students will not be allowed to attend the programme.

Akshay Jain of the Youth Congress told The Free Press Journal that preparations for Gandhi’s visit have already started. “It is on the 22nd August in the evening. Rahul Gandhi will have an event with female students. In this programme, no male students will be allowed. This visit won’t be political at all,” Jain said. He said the programme will bring together students from Pune. Jain said similar meetings took place in other cities, including Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj. Students interested in attending can register through a QR code being circulated by the organisers.

‘Many Students Have Approached Us’

“Previously it was open to all students; now only girls are allowed for the programme. Many students from Pune have approached us, and it is expected to get a massive response. Preparations have started because Rahul Gandhi is coming,” Jain said. He added that Congress workers are holding meetings across the city based on the different Legislative Assembly constituencies. “State President Harshavardhan Sapkal is in Pune itself, as meetings are ongoing. We are holding meetings according to the Vidhan Sabha constituencies,” he said.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshavardhan Sapkal had earlier announced Gandhi’s Pune visit during a press conference on Friday. Sapkal said the programme will focus on issues faced by students, particularly female students. He said this would be the first such interaction with female students in Pune under the programme.

“Pune is known as the Oxford of the East. A large number of male and female students come here from different countries. They face many pressing issues,” Sapkal said. According to Sapkal, Gandhi will interact directly with students and hear about their problems and concerns. The programme comes against the backdrop of student protests and the Congress’ criticism of the Centre over issues related to competitive examinations.

‘Chhatron Ki Gunj’

Sapkal also referred to the protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where students had raised concerns over examination-related issues. Gandhi had participated in the protest and extended support to the students. The Congress has been highlighting the NEET paper leak issue and other concerns affecting students as part of its outreach to the youth.

Sapkal said Pune was an important location for such an interaction because of its large student population and its status as a major education hub. The Congress leader also said students had suffered losses because of the NEET paper leak and claimed that Pune was at the centre of the issue.

Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Gunj’ programme is aimed at allowing him to interact with students in different cities and understand their concerns. The Pune event will be the latest such interaction and will focus specifically on female students. Congress workers have begun preparations for the event, with meetings being held across Pune and registrations being facilitated for students.