New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday hit out at the JDU-BJP government in Bihar, accusing it of sheer dictatorship by "preventing" Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi from holding a 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad' in Darbhanga.
Gandhi addressed students at Mithila University's Ambedkar Hostel, despite being allegedly denied permission from holding the event.
"Is communicating with Dalit, deprived and backward class students against the Constitution? Is it a sin to talk to them about their education, their recruitment exams and jobs," asked Kharge.
"It is the height of dictatorship that the JDU-BJP government prevented Rahul Gandhi from attending the 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad' program at the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar," he said in a post on X in Hindi.
Kharge said the birthplace of democracy Bihar will remember this "injustice" and will give a befitting reply to JDU-BJP when the time comes.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a video of police action in preventing Gandhi from going to the Ambedkar students hostel in Darbhanga.
"India is a democracy, it is governed by the Constitution, not by dictatorship. No one can stop us from raising our voice for social justice and education," Ramesh said in his post on X.
The Congress had also expressed outrage on the suggestion by the authorities to change the venue to an alternative site.
The Congress also shared a video of the Bihar cops trying to stop Gandhi and said, "The dictatorial government exerted its full power. But...could not stop the spirits of the leader."
AICC OBC cell chairman Anil Jaihind said the time for social justice has come in the country and Rahul Gandhi is the 'justice warrior' of this movement.
"If Modi or Nitish government think that they will be able to stop Rahul Gandhi, then they are mistaken. This has been proved today.
"The time has gone when the 'Manuwadi' forces in the country used to stop Dalits, backward classes and tribals from getting education, but now those 'Manuwadi' forces will not succeed in their intentions," he said at a press conference here.
"Social justice will come to India, it cannot be stopped for long," he also said.
The Congress leader said how long will you test the patience of Dalits, backward classes, extremely backward classes and tribals of this country.
Ever since this government came to power, it has been trying to stop the education of Dalits, backward classes, extremely backward classes and tribals in the country, he alleged, citing the stopping of students' scholarships, deteriorating condition of government schools and colleges.
He said the Supreme Court passed Article 15 (5) - providing reservation to Dalits, backward classes and tribals in private institutions - but this government has blocked it for 11 years.
"After a long time, the Dalits, backward and tribals of the country have got a leader in the form of Rahul Gandhi, who is fighting their battle.
"Rahul Gandhi had said in the Lok Sabha that we will conduct caste census in the country, due to which the government had to bow down. Today again Rahul ji has raised his voice for giving reservation to Dalits, backward and tribals in private institutions in Darbhanga," Jaihind said.
The Bihar government tried its best to stop Gandhi but they could not stop him, he said referring to Bihar Police's action.
Addressing the students, Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to hold a caste census "out of fear" of the country's deprived population, to which the opposition was lending its voice.
The leader of the opposition made the remark at a charged-up interaction with students in Darbhanga district.
"As you all are aware, my car was stopped at the gate (of Mithila University). But I did not relent. I got out and took a circuitous route to reach here on foot," said the Rae Bareli MP, who launched 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad', a public interaction programme in Bihar where assembly polls are due later this year.