Rahul observes fast for communal harmony
Congress president Rahul Gandh began a day-long fast at Rajghat on Monday along with party leaders to expose BJP’s “lies” and to “promote communal harmony”. The fast is also to protest clashes during the Dalit protests on April 2.
Gandhi was accompanied by Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and party workers . Congress workers are also observing a fast at all state and district headquarters.
The protest is to highlight the ‘failure’ of the Centre to hold a discussion in Parliament on key issues such as the CBSE paper leak, the multi-crore PNB scam, Cauvery issue and Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh. The Congress is also expected to take up the issues of alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes Act, farm distress and disillusionment among the youth.
The Congress announced on April 6 that its leaders and workers would go on a fast after BJP said its MPs would fast on April 12 to protest the impasse in Parliament.
The Congress had said that the government was responsible for not letting Parliament function and termed as a “gimmick” its announcement that the NDA MPs would forgo their salary for 23 days when the House did not function.
CONG DENIES TYTLER, SAJJAN TOLD TO LEAVE
Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, were on Monday allegedly asked to stay away from the main stage during the party’s day-long fast against the BJP, party leaders said on condition of anonymity.
Tytler and Kumar were asked to leave because they went to the dais straight away even though they were not supposed to be there, the leaders added.
“This is the party’s protest event and does not belong to any individual. Only AICC president, ex-ministers and office bearers were to be on the dias. Party workers in large number are coming to the venue and going. We have never said that Tytler and Kumar were not party members,” former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said.
Congress’ current Delhi unit president Ajay Maken was seen talking to Tytler, who sat on the floor after a while. Kumar left after being asked to stay away. Tytler, however, said he was not asked to leave the stage or the venue and stayed until the end.
Tweeting about the controversy, Union minister Harsimrat Badal wrote, “What we are seeing in Rajghat is no fast, it is only a FARCE! Jagdisha Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who butchered thousands of Sikhs in 1984 attending a farcical “fast” for unity and harmony! What a joke!” .
Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh concluded his Narmada Parikrama on Tuesday, after setting off on his sixmonth-long “personal, religious and spiritual” journey in Madhya Pradesh on September 30.
The parikrama (circumambulation) concluded at Barman ghat in Narsinghpur district, about 240km south east of Bhopal, from where he had started his journey along with his wife Amrita Rai.
Besides Shankaryacharya Swami Swaraoopanand Saraswati and other seers, several senior Congress leaders, including former parliamentarians Kamal Nath, Kantilal Bhuria, Rameshwar Neekhra; Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha; party’s state president Arun Yadav; and Digvijaya Singh’s son Jaivardhan, were present on the occasion.
BJP MP Prahlad Patel and his younger brother Jalam Singh, a minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet, too, attended the concluding ceremony.
When asked about his future role in the Congress, 71-year-old Digvijaya Singh said it was up to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to take a call on this.
He also left it upon the party’s central leadership when asked for his comment on the Congress’ likely chief ministerial candidate in the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.
While Digvijaya himself did not say much about his role, party’s state chief spokesperson KK Mishra said the senior leader would return to touring the state and strengthening the party after taking rest for about a week.
Former Uttarakhand chief ministerHarishRawatcongratulated Singh on Twitter, saying he had given a befitting reply to his rumourmongers by completing the Parikrama of Narmada river, and said the ‘yatra’ was important to preserve the river’s water.
State BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat said, “Digvijaya Singh must be congratulated for undertaking and completing an arduous journey. He is one of tallest leaders of Congress.”
NEW DELHI: BHOPAL: DIGVIJAYA’S PERSONAL, RELIGIOUS, SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF MADHYA PRADESH HAD STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 30