March to Rashtrapati Bhavan: Sonia Gandhi leads
New Delhi: Nov 3
Congress president Sonia Gandhi led a march of party leaders to Rashtrapati Bhavan from Parliament House this evening to register their protest over rising intolerance and communal incidents.
They submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee conveying grave concern at what the party called growing atmosphere of fear, intolerance and intimidation being deliberately created by sections of ruling establishment.
The party also expressed gratitude to the President for speaking out strongly against forces of intolerance.
Talking to reporters after meeting the President, Mrs Gandhi alleged that sinister campaign is being unleashed to create social and communal tension.
Gandhi said, intolerance is being encouraged. She alleged the incidents taking place are part of the well thought out strategy of the BJP to divide the society.
She also questioned silence of the Prime Minister over the situation. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said, people are unhappy with the way the government is administering the country.
Rahul Gandhi said, the President and RBI Governor have also expressed concern but the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister believe nothing is wrong, which is the heart of the problem.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, senior party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulab Nabi Azad, A K Antony, Jairam Ramesh and members of the Congress Working Committee, AICC General Secretaries and office-bearers and party MPs were part of the delegation.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar described the Congress’s protest as a political stunt. BJP says the Congress March to Rashtrapati Bhawan on the issue of intolerance is a result of desperation over the reported misdeeds of Robert Vadra in land deals.
The party quoted a private TV channel report which claimed that Vadra bought land in Bikaner at 79 lakh rupees during 2012 and in a short-span, sold it to a fictitious company for over five crore rupees.
Briefing reporters in New Delhi today, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said the march is being done out of frustration due to revelation against Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law.
Replying to a question why BJP is not taking action against Vadra in land deal irregularities in party ruled states of Haryana and Rajasthan, Mr. Patra said his party governments do not do vendetta politics and law will take its own course.
Another party leader GVL Narsimha Rao alleged that the deal involves money laundering and Congress should divulge the details of this possible corruption case.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today hit out at Congress for its Rashtrapati Bhawan march against growing intolerance saying politically displaced people are challenging the democratic mandate.
Talking to media in New Delhi, Naidu said the opposition party is resorting to such dramatic actions out of desperation to remain relevant. He alleged that the political intolerance is in Congress’ genes.
Naidu said they should have gone to Raj Bhawans instead, as incidents like Dadri lynching and killing of rationalist M M Kalburgi happened in states ruled by Congress or by its friendly parties.
Naidu said Congress and other opposition parties have lost public support and are now feeling threatened after the regime change. (With inputs from AIR News)
