Darbhanga (Bihar), May 14 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been "denied permission" to interact with students in Darbhanga district of Bihar on Thursday, the party alleged here.
Addressing a press conference at Sadaqat Ashram, the BPCC headquarters, on Wednesday, AICC national media convenor Abhay Dubey alleged that the "repressive" step was taken at the instance of the state's ruling JD(U)-BJP combine.
"The district welfare officer in Darbhanga has written to us informing that it will not grant permission for the programme on May 15. No reason has been given. It seems a repressive measure taken at the behest of the state's ruling JD(U)-BJP combine," Dubey said.
Gandhi was scheduled to interact with Dalit students at the Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga, as part of "Shiksha Nyay Samvad", a state-wide public outreach programme.
Asked whether the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha was calling off his Bihar tour in view of the development, Dubey said, "We have urged the Darbhanga administration to review their decision. We hope good sense will prevail".
Gandhi's programme was aimed at creating public awareness, he said.
"It is unfortunate that his efforts are being viewed through the prism of politics. Be that as it may, he remains resolute in pushing the cause of social justice, of which education is an important component," added Dubey.
Replying to a query, he said he was unaware of Gandhi's plan to visit Patna.
Earlier, AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru had told reporters at the airport here that besides attending the programme in Darbhanga, Gandhi was likely to watch "Phule", the biopic based on the lives of Dalit icon couple Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule, at a theatre in the state capital.