16-10-2021 The Asian Independent

16 16-10-2021 to 31-10-2021 NEWS
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Sonia slams Congress leaders for speaking to media
New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS)
Addressing the Congress Working
Committee (CWC) meeting, interim
President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday
slammed party leaders for speaking to
the media.
In her opening remarks, she said: "I
have always appreciated frankness.
There is no need to speak to me
through the media. So let us all have a
free and honest discussion. But what
should get communicated outside the
four walls of this room is the collective
decision of the CWC."
Sonia Gandhi's statement comes
after after senior party leader Kapil
Sibal had recently said that "there is
no president in our party, so we do not
know who is taking all the decisions.
We know it, yet we don't know, one of
my senior colleagues perhaps has
written or is about to write to the interim
president to immediately convene a
CWC meeting so that a dialogue can
be initiated".
In her remarks on Saturday, she
also said the party is ready for the
internal elections. "The entire organisation
wants a revival of the Congress.
But this requires unity and keeping the
party's interests paramount. Above all,
it requires self-control and discipline. I
am acutely conscious of the fact that I
have been interim Congress President
ever since the CWC asked me to
return in this capacity in 2019. We had
thereafter, you may recall, finalised a
roadmap for electing a regular
President by June 30, 2021."
But due to the second wave of
Covid-19 pandemic in the country,
this deadline was extended indefinitely
by the CWC in its meeting held on
May 10, she added.
"Today is the occasion for bringing
clarity once and for all. A schedule for
the full-fledged organisational elections
is before you."
She also praised young leaders for
taking over leadership role
"In the last two years, a large number
of our colleagues, particularly the
younger ones have taken on leadership
roles in taking party policies and programmes
to the people, whether it be
the agitation of farmers, provision of
relief during the pandemic, highlighting
issues of concern to youth and
women, atrocities on Dalits, Adivasis
Sonia counters G-23, says
'I'm full-time President'
New Delhi : Responding to queries by Congress dissenters over
who takes decisions in the party, Sonia Gandhi said on Saturday
that she was the "full-time and hands on Congress President".
"I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands on
Congress President," she said while addressing the Congress
Working Committee (CWC) meeting.
The Congress President was responding to questions raised by
a group of leaders led by Kapil Sibal over the party's decision
making process and apprehending that former President Rahul
Gandhi is taking all the decisions.
"You are aware that I have been taking them up with the Prime
Minister as have Dr. Manmohan Singh and Rahul ji. I have been
interacting with like-minded political parties regularly. We have
issued joint statements on national issues and coordinated our
strategy in Parliament as well," Sonia Gandhi said in her remarks
on Saturday.
In her opening address, she slammed the Congress leaders for
speaking to the media
"I have always appreciated frankness. There is no need to speak
to me through the media. So let us all have a free and honest discussion.
But what should get communicated outside the four walls
of this room is the collective decision of the CWC."
and minorities, price rise, and the
destruction of the public sector. Never
have we let issues of public importance
and concern go unaddressed."
Regarding the farmers protests, the
Congress interim President said: "The
shocking incidents at Lakhimpur
Kheri betrays the mindset of the BJP,
how it perceives the Kisan Andolan,
how it has been dealing with this
determined struggle by Kisans to protect
their lives and livelihoods.
She said that the economy continues
to be a cause of great concern in
spite of the government propaganda
and the only answer the Centre seems
to have for the country's economic
recovery is selling off national assets
Thiruvananthapuram : At least 8 people
are dead and five persons are reported
missing after heavy rains lashed Kerala
since Friday evening. A team of Army officials
attached to the Pangode Military
camp in the state capital have already left
to Kottayam district and is expected to
arrive shortly where a landslide took place
at Kootikal.
Two families comprising 12 people who
bore the major brunt, of which six people
have been declared dead, while four continue
to be missing. A car with two people
who were asked not to go forward near
Thodupuzha in Idukki district was swept
away by the gushing waters and a few
hours later the dead bodies were recovered
by the locals who swung into action.
Consequent to the rains the authorities
have issued a red alert in 6 districts while
another 6 districts are on orange alert and
two districts are under yellow alert, thereby
indicating that all the 14 districts in the
state are experiencing heavy rains.
Heavy rains have been lashing the state
starting Friday evening leaving roads at
several places flooded and normal traffic
affected at a number of places. The Indian
Meteorological Department has warned of
more rains on Sunday also. Chief Minister
Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday morning
issued an advisory that people have to be
extremely cautious and under no circumstances
should they ignore the warnings
built with great effort over the
decades. "The public sector has had
not just strategic and economic objectives,
it has had social goals as well,
as, for instance, empowerment of
scheduled castes and scheduled tribes
and development of backward areas.
But all this is in jeopardy with the
Modi government's single-point agenda
of 'Becho, Becho, Becho'."
She said that prices of essential
commodities, including food and fuel
continue to rise unabated.
"Could anyone in the country ever
imagine that petrol prices would be
over 100 Rs rupees a litre, diesel
would be nearing the Rs 100 a litre
mark, a gas cylinder would cost Rs
that are given from time to time.
"A 24 hour alert has to be observed and
all those living close to water sources have
to be very cautious and none should venture
in the waters. Travel in the hilly areas
or places where rains are occurring should
be best avoided and areas prone to landslides
have also to be watchful," said
Vijayan. State Ministers have been asked to
coordinate with the various teams of the
Police, Fire Force and the Disaster
Management teams and have started their
900 and cooking oil would be Rs 200
a litre. This is making life unbearable
for people across the country."
Sonia Gandhi also condemned the
killings in Jammu and Kashmir and
said minorities clearly have been targeted.
"This must be condemned in the
strongest possible terms. We have
done so and I do so again this morning.
Jammu and Kashmir has been a
Union Territory for two years. The
entire responsibility for bringing the
perpetrators of these barbaric crimes
to justice is that of the Union government.
Restoring social peace and harmony
and confidence amongst the
people in Jammu and Kashmir rests
with the Modi government too.
"There has always been a broad
consensus on foreign and neighbourhood
policy in our country. But that
consensus has been damaged because
of the Prime Minister continued reluctance
to take the Opposition into confidence
in any meaningful manner.
Foreign policy has become a diabolical
instrument of electoral mobilisation
and polarisation. We face serious
challenges on our borders and on other
fronts. The Prime Minister telling the
opposition leaders last year that there
had not been any occupation of our
territory by China and his silence ever
since is costing our nation dearly," she
added.
The Congress faces many challenges
but, "if we are united, if we are
disciplined and if we focus on the
party's interests alone, I am confident
that we will do well".
8 dead, 4 missing as
heavy rains lash Kerala
work.
Later after chairing a meeting of top
officials, Vijayan said that all arrangements
are in place and none need to be worried as
various relief camps have been opened and
all facilities will be made available at the
camps. He also emphasised that the people
in the camps should be aware that Covid
protocols should be followed.
Meanwhile in areas where there are
heavy rains, tourist centres have been
asked to close down until further notice
and boating services have also been suspended.
At Pathanamthitta district, a car
was swept away by the rushing waters but
an alert auto-rickshaw driver, sensing the
danger, threw stones at the car which broke
the windshield allowing the driver to come
out through it who swam to safety.
Meanwhile, the saving grace is that the
rains appear to have slowed down and that
has come handy for those engaged in rescue
and relief operations.