# Congress slams police for citing Rajiv Gandhi killing in Rahul event order 2026-09-18T21:07:07+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets A row erupted on Friday after a police security document for Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Indore cited the Verma Commission report on the 1991 assassination of his father, former PM Rajiv Gandhi. The Congress called the reference insensitive and politically motivated. State BJP leaders said the report was cited only to explain organisers' security responsibilities. The Congress also alleged that coaching centres and hostels in Indore are being pressured to keep students away from Saturday's event. Pawan Khera shared a purported declaration form requiring centres to take responsibility for student safety. Police confirmed such forms exist, saying they are routine for crowd monitoring. Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said Rahul Gandhi has Z-plus security and the Verma Commission reference was only to outline organiser duties. The Congress has also accused authorities of denying a permit for Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and billing Rs 4 lakh extra for the alternate venue. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address the youth event in Indore on Saturday. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India Today and NDTV report the Verma Commission reference as a political flashpoint, giving roughly equal space to Congress outrage and BJP defence. The Hindu adds the Congress allegation of coaching centres being threatened, framing a 'chain of intimidation' by the state government. Pro-government framing in the BJP response treats the commission citation as a routine security measure. The Congress framing, amplified by The Hindu, presents it as a deliberate intimidation tactic. A balanced reading: the police document did cite the assassination, but the Congress claim of a wider coercion campaign against students adds a layer not confirmed by independent evidence. The actual conduct of Saturday's event, including turnout and any police action, will test which narrative holds. Note: The claim about coaching centre threats is reported by The Hindu with a named officer confirming the forms, but no independent verification of coercion is provided. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in (neutral report) Leads with the political row, quotes both Congress and BJP equally - ndtv.com (neutral report) Headline and lead focus on the condition count and Rajiv killing reference - thehindu.com (government critical) Leads with Congress allegation of intimidation against coaching centres Tags: BJP, Congress, Indore, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Verma Commission Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/verma-commission-report-cited-in-security-rules-for-rahul-gandhi-event/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/verma-commission-report-cited-in-security-rules-for-rahul-gandhi-event/#story-in-brief