Rahul Gandhi stopped from entering Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga

Accusing the JDU-BJP coalition government in Bihar of "dictatorship," Congress on Thursday claimed that its leader Rahul Gandhi was stopped by police while trying to enter the Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga, where he was scheduled to interact with students under the party's "Shiksha Nyay Samvad" initiative.

The Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was denied entry into the hostel premises by local authorities, sparking protests from senior Bihar Congress leaders who demanded that the gates be opened.

Taking to social media, LOP Rahul Gandhi wrote: "India is a democracy, governed by the Constitution, not by dictatorship! No one can stop us from raising our voice for social justice and education." In the short video clip, LOP Rahul Gandhi can be heard saying apparently to the officials, "You do your work. Stop us. We will do our work."

The development has made the Congress leadership aghast with its president Mallikarjun Kharge alleging that "Bihar is the height of dictatorship."

In his remarks, Congress President Kharge said, "Now is it against the Constitution to communicate with Dalit, deprived, backward class students? Is it a sin to talk to them about their education, their recruitment exams and jobs? The JDU-BJP government preventing Shri @RahulGandhi from participating in the 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad' program at Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar is the height of dictatorship."

"The birthplace of democracy, Bihar will remember this injustice and will give a befitting reply to JDU-BJP when the time comes," he added.

Additionally, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said stopping LOP Rahul Gandhi, who was going to interact with the students under the 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad' program at Ambedkar Hostel, Darbhanga, "is a very shameful, reprehensible and cowardly act."

"The JDU-BJP coalition government, bent on dictatorship, should tell whether it is a crime for the Leader of Opposition to go to Bihar or is it a crime to raise the voice of Dalits, backward, deprived and poor? The people of Bihar, the land of justice and revolution, will not tolerate this dictatorship," she added.