MUMBAI: The BJP on Saturday dubbed Rahul Gandhi’s student event in Pune as “Paise Ki Goonj”, alleging that the Congress had paid social media influencers to mobilise crowds, triggering a fiery response from the Opposition, which claimed the saffron party feared the growing Gen Z support.
While BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban alleged that the Congress had spent nearly Rs 10 crore to buy attendance by paying up to Rs 35,000 per influencer for the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme, Opposition leader Sachin Sawant retorted that BJP leaders were terrified of Gandhi’s growing influence among youngsters.
Gandhi is slated to hold a “Chhatron Ki Goonj” event specifically dedicated to female students in Pune on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP’s Maharashtra headquarters here, Ban alleged that the Congress was trying to create an impression of a spontaneous public response to Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme by paying people to attend it and promote it on social media.
He claimed videos had surfaced showing offers of Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 to social media influencers to promote the Pune event, covering their travel expenses and promoting the programme online.
“The programme is not ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ but ‘Paise Ki Goonj’. The Congress is gathering crowds with money,” Ban alleged.
He claimed that if around 3,000 people were paid Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 each, the total expenditure could work out to between Rs 9 crore and Rs 10 crore.
“Where has this money come from? Who is providing it and through whom is it being distributed? What is the official account of this money?” he questioned.
The BJP spokesperson demanded a detailed investigation into the source of the funds and questioned whether they had any link to foreign funding or money allegedly diverted through contracts, commissions or other financial transactions in Congress-ruled states.
He also sought an inquiry into the organisations and individuals allegedly involved in distributing the money.
BJP Maharashtra vice-president Keshav Upadhyay alleged that Gandhi’s Pune programme was an attempt to create a political platform by using students’ issues.
“Though the programme is called ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, it is actually Rahul Gandhi’s political battle,” Upadhyay said, claiming that the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition had lost 100 elections, but had still failed to find a clear political direction.
“Rahul Gandhi has not been able to find a concrete issue against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Despite making allegations and counter-allegations about fake narratives and trying various political experiments, people are not ready to trust him,” he said.
Hitting back at the BJP, State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed that the ruling party was “rattled” by the growing response Gandhi was receiving from the youth, particularly Gen Z.
He accused the saffron party of trying to create obstacles for the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Pune.
Sawant said BJP leaders appeared to be as apprehensive of Gandhi as Mughal forces were of Maratha warriors Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav.
“The BJP has become so rattled by Rahul Gandhi that its leaders perhaps see him in their dreams, just as Santaji and Dhanaji appeared in the dreams of Mughal forces,” Sawant said in a statement.
He also alleged that authorities in Uttar Pradesh had released sewage water near the venue of Gandhi’s programme in Prayagraj to discourage youngsters from attending.
The Maharashtra government had imposed several restrictions on the Pune event, he claimed, alleging that members of the ABVP had indulged in “high-handedness” on Friday.
“No matter how much they protest or try to create obstacles, Gen Z will tell the country that the BJP has been rejected,” Sawant said, adding that Gandhi would continue on his political course.
Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Mahesh Tapase accused the ABVP of creating hurdles for students participating in the Pune event, and accused the BJP of displaying “intellectual bankruptcy” by questioning the programme.
Tapase said the country functions through dialogue and there was no reason for the BJP to be apprehensive about a programme aimed at raising issues concerning students and youth.
“If Rahul Gandhi is holding the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme to raise his voice against injustice being done to youth and students, why is the BJP afraid of it?” he remarked.
“Under the Constitution, citizens have the right to decide which views they want to hear, accept or reject. The youth of the country have now decided to reject the BJP’s ideology, and that is why the BJP is rattled,” Tapase said.
