Rahil Nora Chopra
The Congress declared nationwide campaigns on paper leaks and the alleged chanda chori involving donations to the Ram temple, as the party’s top decision-making body also resolved that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung at its events. The Congress’s highest decision-making body cited a 1937 CWC resolution to back its stand, arguing that the leading lights of the freedom movement, including Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, had backed limiting the public rendition of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas. In his opening remarks, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge laid emphasis on students issues. He said youth is the primary focus of the party’s collective concern and pitched for a comprehensive and time bound Education to Employment Roadway for the youth. The party said its “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme, aimed at raising issues affecting students, would be held in nearly 800 cities. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate in some of the programmes. The CWC also reiterated its demand for the immediate implementation of women’s reservation and for the current strength of the Lok Sabha to remain frozen at 543 seats for another 25 years. The party wants one-third reservation for women to be implemented from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections while retaining the present allocation of seats among states during the proposed freeze. The Congress reiterated concerns over E20 petrol, including lower mileage, compatibility issues, fuel contamination, loss of consumer choice and the environmental impact of diverting sugarcane and maize towards ethanol production. The CWC also discussed the Chinese incursion in Arunachal Pradesh and lashed out at the government. While the four Congress chief ministers have also been asked to prepare reports on reforms required in their respective education and examination systems and submit them to Kharge within a month.
KHARGE PURIFICATION RITUAL HAS ITS TWISTS
The controversy that began over a purification ritual conducted at a rally venue used by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has now traversed from Uttarakhand to Parliament and into the Congress Working Committee (CWC), twisting to what began as a local event into a wider political battle over severe issues such as caste, dignity and untouchability. At the CWC meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his discontent and said he was hurt that several members, particularly those who frequently get media space, did not openly condemn the purification ritual held in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani after his visit there. Kharge was referring to the ‘shuddhikaran havan’ organised in Haldwani following his visit a week ago. While AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal responded that the Congress had condemned the incident. The Congress has alleged that those behind the ritual were linked to the BJP and said it reflected a casteist mindset. Kharge had also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, saying the incident made him feel humiliated and brought back the sting of untouchability. Responding to him in the Rajya Sabha, Union minister J P Nadda termed the incident unfortunate, said no BJP member was involved and assured that an inquiry would be conducted. Meanwhile, Kharge did not put forth a name of any leader but also pointed out that some party leaders were prone to spread comments and writing articles that were not in line with the Congress’s position. The episode has become politically potent because Kharge, a Dalit and the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, has interpreted the ritual through the history of caste-based notions of purity and untouchability.
MAYAWATI’S BRAHMIN GAMBIT TO CONSOLIDATE BASE
In a crisp outreach to Brahmin community, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has given a prominent role related to elections to her confidante and the party’s Brahmin face, Satish Chandra Mishra.BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra will now also lead the BSP’s legal and media teams, besides handling Election Commission-related matters. The widened role for Mishra comes as the BSP is once again making sincere efforts to reach out to the Brahmin community, drawing parallels with its successful social engineering strategy of 2007. Mayawati has signalled that the party is working to increase the representation of different sections of society, particularly Brahmins, including by giving them BSP tickets. However, Brahmins constitute about 10% of UP voters and have been overwhelmingly voting for the BJP for the past several elections.
RAHUL’S ENGAGEMENT WITH GIRL STUDENTS
In Pune, the next destination of Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron ki Goonj (Voice of Students) campaign, there’s a twist in format. The interaction, slated for August 22, is going to be exclusively meant for women students. The event will emphasize on education, safety, equality, competitive examinations and career opportunities. According to the Congress, between 8,000 and 10,000 female students are expected to attend the programme. However, Rahul Gandhi initiated the campaign from Kota, a coaching hub in Rajasthan, on June 17 to highlight issues in the education sector and problems faced by students. He addressed the second and third segments of the outreach programme in Dehradun and Prayagraj on July 17 and August 8 respectively. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has received permission to hold his proposed ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Pune on August 22 with 30 conditions which comprises prohibiting objectionable banners or images and directing organisers to avoid hurting religious sentiments. The Congress programme is part of its nationwide ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, launched to focus on issues concerning students and the education system.
TMC TAKES CONTROL OF BAR
The political activity in West Bengal is soaring high as Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has managed the control of the West Bengal Bar Council, winning 15 of the 23 elected seats. Despite the BJP coming to power in West Bengal, the party secured only three seats in the lawyers body. The results offer a stark contrast to the Assembly election outcome, signalling at the TMC’s continued prominence among sections of the legal fraternity. Of the 23 elected seats, the TMC won 15, while the BJP and Left Front secured three each and the Congress won two. Five seats are reserved for women, of which the TMC won four and the Congress one. (IPA Service)
