Patna: A Protest erupted at City Centre Mall in Patna on Thursday when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attended a special screening of the biopic “Phule”, sparking chaos after several ticket holders were denied entry to the event.
The screening, held at INOX Cinema inside the Lodipur mall, was meant to be a public event with 400 pre-booked tickets and passes distributed to supporters and invitees.
However, tensions flared as many attendees, despite holding valid tickets and passes, were prevented from entering the theatre by police and security personnel.
Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Patna after addressing a Shiksha Nyay Samvad in Darbhanga earlier in the day, reached the mall around 2 p.m. The screening was scheduled from 2.20 p.m. to 5.20 p.m. and was attended by several Congress leaders and social activists.
However, commotion broke out outside the theatre as supporters — including members of the Dalit community and others who had come with bouquets and banners — were turned away.
Angry and confused, they raised slogans like “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad”, “Police ki dadagiri nahi chalegi” and “Prashasan murdabad”, accusing the administration of high handedness.
“We came here with valid tickets and passes, but the police are treating us like gate-crashers. This is deeply humiliating,” said Dharmendra Kumar, one of the attendees who had been denied entry.
Eyewitnesses alleged that only senior Congress leaders and select invitees were allowed inside, while ordinary supporters were blocked at the entrance.
Minor scuffles reportedly broke out between attendees and the police, prompting a stronger security presence in the mall premises.
Some protestors questioned the organisers’ decision to distribute tickets if entry was not going to be honoured. “If they were going to restrict entry, why issue tickets at all? We demand a refund,” said one visibly agitated attendee.
Meanwhile, the screening went ahead without interruption inside the theatre, with Rahul Gandhi watching the film alongside Congress leaders and close associates.
(IANS)
