Rahul, Priyanka trying to shift focus of politics on real issues

NEW DELHI: A day after Rahul Gandhi visited Hathras, on Sunday he is leading a farmers' agitation in Punjab and he will be in the state for three days while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has kept the pressure on the Uttar Pradesh government with state-wide protests in UP by Congress leaders and workers. The two issues both focus on fight for justice but the causes are different as one is justice for a girl while the other is justice for farmers, said a Congress leader.

But the focus is on Dalits, poor, farmers and peasants as the party wants to change the narrative to real issues.

Congres leader JitinPrasada said that the fight is for justice and each party worker stands firmly behind Priyanka Gandhi in her resolve to ensure justice for the Hathras gang-rape victim.

The Congress has asked its state governments to pass laws to negate the new farm laws as part of clear tactics to take on the Union government on the newly-enacted laws.

Not shifting the focus from Hathras, the Congress has asked its state and district units to observe 'Satyagrah' in each state and district on Monday, as reported by IANS on Saturday.

K.C. Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, in a statement on Sunday said, "The Congress party has resolved to relentlessly fight against arbitrary and unconstitutional ways of the Yogi government and ensure justice to the victim and her family."

The UP Congress Committees will be organising silent Satyagrah sit-ins at Mahatma Gandhi/Ambedkar statues and any other place of significance, against the "brutal and arbitrary actions" of the UP government, demanding justice for the victim and her family. Senior leaders, MPs, MLAs and office bearers, party functionaries and ordinary workers will be participating in the 'Satyagrah' in full strength.

The party is unhappy that when Rahul Gandhi and UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi along with other Congress leaders tried to go to Hathras to meet the victim's family, the delegation was stopped at the UP border itself.

Venugopal alleged "the police manhandled Rahul Gandhi in a most heinous way and arrested Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka and other leaders. The police brutally lathicharged the Congress party workers and other party functionaries. The leaders were not only forcibly stopped but FIR was also lodged against them." However the leaders were later allowed to go Hathras on Saturday and meet the victim's family.

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad reached Bulgadi village in Hathras on Sunday to meet the family members of the alleged gang-rape victim. Other colleagues with him have been allowed to meet the family inside. Only 5 people have come to meet the family along with the Bhim Army chief. (IANS)

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