The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Darbhanga on Thursday escalated into a political confrontation after the district administration denied permission to hold the Shiksha Nyay Samvad at the Ambedkar Welfare Hostel.
Despite the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS (earlier Section 144 CrPC), which prohibits public gatherings, Rahul Gandhi walked nearly a kilometre to the hostel, accompanied by hundreds of supporters and party workers.
He went on to address a packed crowd of students, triggering widespread reactions and a political storm both offline and on social media. Rahul Gandhi’s program was part of a broader campaign to highlight issues around education, reservation, scholarships, and migration faced by Dalit, Mahadalit, backward, and minority students in Bihar.
The Congress had sought to host the dialogue at Ambedkar Hostel in Mogalpura, a symbolic location tied to the aspirations of marginalised communities. However, the Darbhanga administration denied permission, citing security and administrative reasons.
District Magistrate Rajiv Roshan offered the Town Hall as an alternative venue, saying: “No such political program can be permitted in the hostel premises, especially under Section 163. They are free to use Town Hall.”
After his convoy was stopped near Karpoori Chowk, LoP Rahul Gandhi stepped out of his vehicle and began walking towards the hostel. Along the route, his supporters chanted slogans against the JD(U)-BJP government, accusing it of silencing student voices.
Despite multiple attempts by the police to block the procession, LoP Rahul Gandhi continued walking and ultimately reached the hostel, where hundreds of students and supporters had already gathered.
A makeshift stage had been prepared in anticipation of his arrival. “The double-engine government is afraid of the voice of Dalit and backward students. They are trying to suppress education and social justice.
Their obstruction failed to stop me. I am here in the hostel, and they would fail to stop the reservation,” said LoP Rahul Gandhi in his address. “We demand a fair caste-based census like Telangana did in the past, followed by implementation of its recommendations in the reservation,” said LoP Rahul Gandhi.
He also reiterated the Congress promise of free education from KG to PG, timely scholarships, and merit-based job recruitment. Abhay Dubey, the Congress national media convenor, called the move a “blatant attempt to stifle democratic dialogue” and accused the District Welfare Officer of cancelling permission without valid justification.
“This is not just a denial of permission; it’s an attack on the rights of Dalit students and a sign of authoritarian governance,” Dubey said. After the event, LoP Rahul Gandhi left for Patna, where he is expected to watch the film Phule, based on social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, further emphasising his campaign’s focus on social justice and equality.