Tag: Digvijaya Singh

Rahul after vacating bungalow

Surgical Strike Row: Rahul Says ‘Don’t Agree With Digvijaya’

By LokMarg

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday distanced himself from senior party leader Digvijaya Singh’s remarks over the authenticity of surgical strikes in the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama attack and said the army doesn’t need to provide any proof as he combated the fallout of Singh’s remarks calling them “outlying” or views held by the fringe.

This comes after Digvijaya Singh said there is no proof of the 2019 surgical strike against Pakistan, while the Centre claims to have carried out the attack. Disagreeing with Singh’s remarks, Rahul Gandhi said that those were Singh’s personal views.

The Wayanad MP, who is currently in Jammu for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said that Digvijaya’s views are outlying.

“We don’t appreciate Digvijaya Singh’s personal views. His views are outlying views. We are absolutely clear that the Armed Forces do their job exceptionally well and they do not need to provide proof of that,” said Rahul Gandhi during a press conference.

He also spoke about his meeting with a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits, who have complained that they have been used for political gains.

“I met a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits yesterday. They have expressed that they feel they are being disrespected and used for political gains. They requested me to raise their issues in parliament,” said the Congress MP.

When asked about the banned BBC documentary, he said that the truth always comes out and no amount of banning can suppress the truth from coming out.

“The truth always comes out. No amount of banning the press and using institutions like ED and CBI against people can suppress the truth from coming out,” said Gandhi.

Earlier during the yatra an agitated Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the media on Tuesday, saying all that needed to be said about Digviajaya’s comment have already been done. The questions should now be directed at the Prime Minister.

A day after Singh stirred up the hornet’s nest and the Congress distanced itself from the leader, party MP in charge of Communication, Ramesh told the media while walking for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir that all queries related to the surgical strike uproar have been answered by his party and the media needs to aim its questions at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Digvijaya Singh trying to put an end to the row also said: “I have got the greatest regard for the Defence forces” as the leaders marched on along with other padayatris.

“Congress party has said whatever it wanted to. I tweeted yesterday regarding the same. I do not want to say anything other than this,” he said.

Taking to Twitter, Ramesh claimed that even the UPA government had carried out surgical strikes.

“The views expressed by senior leader Digvijaya Singh are his own and do not reflect the position of Congress. Surgical strikes were carried out before 2014 by the UPA government. Congress has supported and will continue to support all military actions that are in the national interest,” Ramesh tweeted.

“They (Centre) talk about surgical strikes and that they have killed so many of them but there is no proof,” said Digvijaya Singh in his address in Jammu on Monday. (ANI)

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Ex-Cong Min Patil

Ex-Cong Min Patil Draws Link Between Jihad-Gita

By LokMarg

Former Union home minister and Congress veteran Shivraj Patil have stoked controversy with his recent claim that the concept of ‘jihad’ finds mention not only in the Quran but in the Bhagwad Gita and in Christianity as well.

At a book launch event in the national capital on Thursday, Patil said that Lord Krishna also taught lessons of jihad to Arjun in a part of Gita in the Mahabharat.
Patil’s remarks have drawn flak from the BJP which has hit out at the Congress for “Hindu hatred” and “votebank politics.”

“It’s said there is a lot of discussion on Jihad in Islam religion… Even after all efforts, if someone doesn’t understand clean ideas, then power can be used. It is not just in the Quran Sharif, but also in the Mahabharata of which Gita is a part,” Patil said.

“Shri Krishna also talks to Arjuna about jihad. It is not like this is only in the Quran Sharif or the Gita but in Christianity also it is written…Christ has said that I have not come here to establish peace but I have come here with sword,” Patil said.

Speaking in Hindi, the Congress leader said that “if even after explaining everything, people do not understand and they are arriving with weapons then you cannot run, you cannot call that jihad and you cannot call it wrong, this is what must be understood, there should not be this concept of making people understand with weapons in hand.”

Patil who was Union home minister from 2004 to 2008 and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996 was addressing the audience at a book launch of Congress leader and former Union Minister Mohsina Kidwai. Among the other dignitaries present at the launch were Shashi Tharoor, Digvijaya Singh, Farooq Abdullah, and Sushil Kumar Shinde.

Meanwhile, BJP has hit out at the “vote-bank politics” of the Congress.

“After AAP’s Gopal Italia & Rajendra Pal, not to be outdone in Hindu hatred & vote-bank politics, Congress’ Shivraj Patil says Shri Krishna taught “Jihad” to Arjun! Congress coined Hindu/Saffron terror, opposed Ram Mandir, Questioned Ram JI’s existence, said Hindutva = ISIS,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted. (ANI)

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tharoor On Uneven Playfield In Prez Polls

Difference In Treatment: Tharoor On Uneven Playfield In Prez Polls

By LokMarg

Ahead of the run-up to Congress presidential polls, party MP and a contender for the top post-Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said he has been facing differential treatment from the party leaders as against his opponent Mallikarjun Kharge.

Notably, Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress President.
Addressing a press conference here, Tharoor said, “We are contesting elections. There is no spirit of enmity in our party. Kharge Sahab is my senior leader and I have worked closely with him. The election is about two colleagues seeing how to work to strengthen the party.”

On his “uneven playing field” remark, Congress presidential candidate Tharoor said, “…In several PCCs, leaders welcomed and met Kharge Sahab. The same was not done for me. I visited PCCs but PCC chiefs were not available. I am not complaining, but do you not see a difference in treatment?”

He said his party men should vote for him only if they are seeking a change in Congress.

“Do you want the party to go with change or are you satisfied with everything? If you think everything is fine, do not vote for me as I want such a change in the party that would bring back voters who did not remain with us in 2014 and 2019,” added the Thiruvananthapuram MP.

Earlier this week, Tharoor had said he could act as a catalyst of change for the grand old party in order to revive the party’s presence in the country.

Regarding rumors that Kharge is an official candidate for party chief and he is not, Tharoor said, “Some people are saying Kharge is an official candidate and I am no one. But I want to say that the Gandhi family is unbiased and no one is an official candidate as we are standing for strengthening of the Congress party. If someone is saying that delegates are asked to vote for a certain person, it’s not true.”

Meanwhile, Congress veteran leader and party’s presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge had said that his name was not suggested by the party supremo Sonia Gandhi and dismissed the speculations of receiving support from the party’s interim president.

Kharge said that Sonia Gandhi had never suggested his name for the party president position and called it a rumor.

Kharge further said that members of the party have elected delegates which are 9,300 in the number who will vote for the candidate and the one with the majority would be elected.

Notably, Digvijaya Singh pulled out from the race earlier and extended his support to Kharge, who he said is a senior and respected leader of the party, and against whom he “cannot think of contesting”.

Singh was the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

Voting will take place on October 17 and the election results will be declared on October 19. (ANI)

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Kharge Cong Chief post

Kharge Likely To File Nomination For Cong Chief Post Today

By LokMarg

Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge will join the contest for Congress president, according to sources who have said that the Leader of Opposition in the Raja Sabha is likely to file his nomination for the party’s top post today.

The contest for the post will then be likely to be between Kharge, Digvijaya Singh, and Shashi Tharoor, they said.
Nominations for the post of Congress president close at 3 pm today and results will be declared on October 19.

“Kharge is likely to file his nomination with one section of the Gandhi loyalists approaching him to contest the polls. However, the final decision will be taken shortly,” said the sources.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post this time around, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was being seen as a frontrunner in the race before he opted to pull out after meeting with Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. Addressing media persons in the national capital after the meeting Gehlot said that he had apologised to her for the scenario emerging in the state triggered by his loyalists.

After announcing his decision to contest in the upcoming Congress presidential polls, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that the Nehru-Gandhi family will remain their leader whosoever becomes the president of the party.

According to the sources, Manish Tewari, a face of the G-23 group of leaders (those seeking reforms in the party) is also mulling over filing the nomination for the top post.

G-23 leaders Thursday evening met at the residence of Anand Sharma. Former union minister Manish Tewari, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda were present at the meeting.

According to sources, the leaders discussed the whole situation emerging in the run-up to the Congress presidential polls. The leaders will meet again.

“Nobody has filed a nomination yet. Once it is done, there will be contemplation. The democratic process has begun. BS Hooda, Anand Sharma, Prithviraj Chavan and I sat for deliberation and discussed events,” Manish Tewari said while leaving Anand Sharma’s residence.

Asked whether G-23 will support candidates whose names have come for Congress presidential poll so far, Tewari said, “Days pass between collecting, filing and withdrawing nomination papers. The decision will be taken at that time. In English, it is called in politics ‘it is the preponderance of probabilities’. Let us see what happens tomorrow.”

The G-23 leaders had written to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi seeking organisational overhaul and internal elections at all levels.

“It is good that polls are being held in the party in a democratic way. We thanked Sonia Gandhi for the free-fair polls. Let us see who will file the nomination. We have heard a few names. We will support the best candidate in the field,” Prithviraj Chavan told ANI.

The remarks of the G23 leaders indicate that they do not possibly see Shashi Tharoor representing their voice in the election. (ANI)

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Digvijaya Drops Out Of Cong Presidential Race

By LokMarg

In yet another twist in the tale of the Congress president polls, Digvijaya Singh on Friday said he was dropping out of the race for the top post and announced his support for Mallikarjun Kharge, who is likely to be in the fray.

Today is the last day to file nominations for the polls.
Singh had said on Thursday that he would file his nominations today. However, after reports of Kharge also mulling contesting the party’s internal polls, he decided to drop out of the contest.

Singh made the announcement after he met Kharge this morning at the latter’s residence.

Speaking to reporters here, Singh said he “cannot think of contesting an election” against a senior leader like Kharge.

“Kharge is my leader and my senior. I went to his residence yesterday and asked if he is contesting. If he does, I will not fill up the form. He said he did not intend to contest. I came to know through the media that he is a candidate. I went to meet him this morning. I said if he is filing the nomination, I am with him. He is a senior and respected leader of the party and I cannot think of contesting an election against him,” he said.

“If Kharge had told me earlier, he would not have gone to collect the form. Now he intends to file his nomination, I will become his proposer,” Singh added.

He said he will not compromise on his “commitment to the Nehru-Gandhi family”.

“I have always worked for Congress all my life and will continue to do so. I do not compromise on three things. First, Dalit, tribal and poor. Second, I do not compromise with those involved in disrupting communal peace. I will not compromise on my commitment to the Nehru-Gandhi family, neither have I ever done it,” he said.

The quick turn of events is taking place on the last day of the filing of the nominations which closes at 3 pm today.

Singh is the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state.

Sources on Friday said that no leader from Congress’s “G-23” will file a nomination for the post of Congress president.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said he will be the proposer for Kharge.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Congress leader KN Tripathi said he will file his nomination at 1 pm today.

“I’ll file my nomination at 1 pm today (for the Congress president post). Rahul Gandhi and party chief Sonia Gandhi have said they’re neither requesting anyone to contest nor declining anyone…we want to see what the rank and file of the party wants,” he said.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

The results of the party polls will be declared on October 19. (ANI)

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Digvijaya Nomination

Digivijaya Will File Nomination For Cong Prez Tomorrow

By LokMarg

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday joined the race for the post of Congress President.

“Today I have come here to collect the nomination form and will possibly file it tomorrow,” Singh said outside his residence here today.
The former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh met with Rahul Gandhi in Kerala at the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and had arrived in the national capital late last evening.

Till now, only Shashi Tharoor has declared his candidature for the post.

The filing of nominations for the top Congress post will take place till September 30 and the election will take place on October 17. (ANI)

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PFI and RSS Same

PFI And RSS Two Sides Of Same Coin, Says Digvijaya Singh

By LokMarg

Stoking a controversy, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday compared Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the Popular Front of India (PFI) and said “whoever spreads hatred” they are “Ek thali ke chatte batte” (of the same ilk).

He demanded action against RSS and VHP following government action against PFI.

Answering queries from reporters over action against the Popular Front of India in Madhya Pradesh, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said action should be taken against “whoever spreads violence, hatred, religious frenzy”.

“If action is being taken against them, why action is not being taken against the Sangh, why not against VHP, there should be action against them,” Singh said.

Asked if RSS can be compared to PFI, Singh said “definitely”. “Whoever spreads hate, religious frenzy, they are of the same ilk. ‘Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte hain’. They complement each other,” he said.

The joint teams of the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and police conducted multiple raids across 15 states of the country against PFI on September 22 and arrested over 106 members.

The largest-ever crackdown that was conducted against the Popular Front of India (PFI) members spread across 15 states was code-named “Operation Octopus”, sources said on Saturday.

The searches were conducted in connection with cases registered by the NIA following “continued inputs and evidence” that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations.

A large number of criminal cases have been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts. (ANI)

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