CM calls ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ a ‘relaunch’, says Cong hired paid influencers

Speaking to the media after his ‘Campus Connect’ programme in Navi Mumbai on Saturday, Fadnavis claimed Gandhi’s event was being handled by an event management company, with students being brought specifically from colleges whose managements are associated with Congress leaders

NAVI MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has called Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ (Voice of Students) programme in Pune a political “relaunch” and accused the Congress of using handpicked participants and paid influencers while allegedly creating controversy at the COEP campus and a publicity stunt.

Navi Mumbai, India - Aug. 22, 2026:Devendra Fadnavis inaugurates drug-free campaign at DY Patil University, Nerul in Navi Mumbai, India, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Speaking to the media after his ‘Campus Connect’ programme in Navi Mumbai on Saturday, Fadnavis claimed Gandhi’s event was being handled by an event management company, with students being brought specifically from colleges whose managements are associated with Congress leaders. “Rahul Gandhi’s programme is merely an event. An event management company has been given this work,” Fadnavis alleged.

He said musical events were being held before Gandhi’s appearance, and 7,000 to 8,000 chairs had been arranged for the gathering. “Today their entire operation has been exposed, when it came to light how influencers are being given money, ₹30,000 each, and being told to come and show only positive things, not anything negative,” he said.

Fadnavis also referred to messages allegedly offering students money and transport to attend the programme, between 4pm and 10pm, alleging that the gathering was being deliberately “managed”.

Maharashtra BJP chief spokesperson Navnath Ban separately alleged that the Congress was paying individuals ₹30,000 to ₹35,000 to attend Gandhi’s programme, and dubbed the multi-crore event “Paise Ki Goonj”, an “echo of money”.

“Navnath Ban’s allegations are based on evidence, and whatever they have stated here, its verification will definitely be done,” claimed Fadnavis. He went on to link Friday’s faceoff between the student wings of the BJP and the Congress at the COEP campus in Pune to Gandhi’s programme. The chief minister alleged that Congress workers had created a ruckus on the campus to generate publicity before Gandhi’s programme. “The way Congress people created a ruckus at COEP and beat students, I feel this was an event-related, well-planned conspiracy,” Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis compared the alleged strategy to publicity generated before a film’s release. “Just as you create controversy to make a picture a hit, this was an attempt by Congress leaders to create controversy,” he alleged.