Indore: After the Congress deposited Rs 10.08 lakh for the temporary lease of a government ground for its 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event here on September 19, the Indore Development Authority (IDA) has asked the party to pay approximately Rs 4 lakh more, officials said on Thursday.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will address the fifth edition of the student outreach programme in Indore, Madhya Pradesh's commercial and educational hub.
The IDA comes under the state government.
In a letter issued by the authority to Indore city Congress president Chintu Chouksey, it stated that 12,000 square meters of land was allotted on a temporary lease for the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event from September 17 to 19, but a site inspection revealed 4,800 square meters of this plot had been used by the party since September 14.
In return, the IDA has asked the Congress to pay an additional Rs 4.03 lakh as lease fee for three days.
Earlier, the Congress had deposited Rs 10.08 lakh in the IDA's account for a three-day temporary lease, from September 17 to 19, of the approximately 12,000-square-meter field in front of the Regional Park for the programme.
Subsequently, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state spokesperson Rakesh Singh Yadav complained to the IDA that the space was being used beyond the stipulated period, violating the terms of the permit.
Yadav said in a statement, "This matter is not about opposing any political programme, but about collecting the prescribed revenue for the use of government land."
Meanwhile, Congress leader Chouksey objected to the IDA's demand for additional funds, calling it a result of alleged pressure from BJP leaders.
He alleged that the administration was acting as a puppet of ruling party leaders.
The Congress had initially sought permission to hold Gandhi's event at the city's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on September 12, but Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, citing a Madhya Pradesh High Court order, insisted the stadium could only be used for sports events or state-level government events.
The Opposition party subsequently extended the event's date to September 19 and applied for land opposite the Regional Park.
'Chhatron Ki Goonj' is a student-dialogue campaign launched by Gandhi through which the former Congress president is attempting to corner the BJP on issues such as question paper leaks, expensive education, irregularities in government recruitment, and unemployment.
Under Gandhi's leadership, four editions of the programme have been organized so far in Kota, Dehradun, Prayagraj, and Pune.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
