Overview
- The Congress moved the Chhatron Ki Goonj event from Parade Ground to Bannu School Ground after the Dehradun administration withdrew permission for the July 17 gathering and offered alternative sites.
- District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan and a city magistrate letter said the central Lok Samvardhan Parv at Parade Ground was extended and police flagged risks to traffic management and public safety near nearby schools and hospitals.
- Uttarakhand Congress leaders accused Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the state government of pressuring officials to revoke the Parade Ground nod, and party workers staged a sit-in that led to a brief clash with police.
- The Congress says hundreds of thousands registered and that Bannu School Ground lacks capacity for the expected turnout, while the BJP and officials reject political motive claims and call alternative venues sufficient.
- The dispute sharpens focus on the Congress’s student outreach against recurring exam leaks and recruitment irregularities in Uttarakhand, a theme the party is using to mobilise youth ahead of the 2027 elections.