Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department on Monday cancelled the booking of its auditorium where AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to address a press conference on Tuesday during his two-day visit to the state.
"The UP tourism department officials contacted us this morning and informed that the booking of the auditorium at Gomti Nagar has been cancelled on the directive of senior bosses," Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh told PTI.
The auditorium, where Rahul was scheduled to address a press conference on Tuesday morning, was booked in the name of Singh himself.
The party spokesman said that the tourism officials cited no reason behind cancellation of the booking.
"It is absurd as the tourism department officials also attended a meeting between SPG and the state police. Till yesterday the entire administration was cooperating," he alleged.
Meanwhile, the state government clarified that it had nothing to do with the cancellation of the booking.
"Neither the government ordered booking of the auditorium, nor it has directed its cancellation. It is the prerogative of the department concerned," an official spokesman said.
This is not the first time Mayawati has prevented the Gandhis from addressing rallies in Uttar Pradesh. On October 14, 2008, Congress President Sonia Gandhi was denied permission to hold a rally in her constituency Rae Bareli. The UP government had then said she was violating rules.
In the same month, 10 days later, Mayawati targetted Rahul Gandhi and stopped him from interacting with students at Chandrashekhar Azad University in Kanpur.
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