Jaipur: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kota by chartered aircraft at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday to participate in a student interaction programme.
Senior Congress leaders, including State President Govind Singh Dotasra, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Tikaram Jully, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and National General Secretary Sachin Pilot, welcomed him at the airport.
Earlier, Gehlot and Pilot were seen together in the airport lounge, their first public meeting since recent political exchanges between the two leaders.
Both appeared cordial and were seen interacting warmly, with no visible signs of political bitterness. Before Rahul Gandhi’s arrival, Pilot, Dotasra, and several other Congress leaders burst into laughter at a remark made by Gehlot while waiting in the lounge.
Among those present at the airport were Govind Singh Dotasra, Tikaram Jully, Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot, and former ministers Shanti Dhariwal, Ashok Chandna, and Divya Maderna. A large number of Congress workers also gathered to welcome Rahul Gandhi.
As he moved towards his vehicle, supporters surged forward to greet him, prompting police personnel to intervene to control the crowd.
Rahul Gandhi’s convoy faced difficulty exiting the airport premises due to the large gathering. From the airport, he proceeded to a private hotel on Station Road for a brief interaction with a select group of students.
Later, he is expected to participate in the student interaction programme titled Chhatron Ki Goonj (Voice of Students) at Dussehra Ground. Party workers will not be permitted to attend, as the event is reserved exclusively for students.
A music concert was underway at Dussehra Ground ahead of his arrival. Congress leader Pawan Khera, who reached the venue, said the programme was not merely a dialogue but the voice of the youth.
He alleged that the government was playing with students’ futures and asserted that such actions would not be tolerated. Entry to the venue was restricted to students and young attendees with verified wristbands and passes.
Before arriving in Kota, Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “I have set out for Kota, but two names are echoing in my heart, Umesh and Riya. Yesterday, Umesh in Sikar and Riya in Dehradun both ended their lives under the pressure of the Re-NEET issue. Young people aged 22 and 23, who were meant to soar in pursuit of their dreams, lost their battle against an unjust system. These deaths are the result of a broken and corrupt system. The Modi government and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan are responsible for this. Instead of protecting students, they repeatedly shielded those behind paper leaks, examination mismanagement, and the merchants of the future. Today, from Kota, we will launch a fight with a single objective…”
(IANS)
