Rahul Gandhi's conduct not in line with democratic principles, says Jitendra Singh amid Congress' sit-in protest
Singh's remarks came after he met Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders holding a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's official residence – 7 Lok Kalyan Marg urging them to end the protest.
Singh's remarks came after he met Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders holding a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's official residence – 7 Lok Kalyan Marg urging them to end the protest.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of going back on his word while protesting on the road near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. The Minister said that Rahul Gandhi's behavior does not align with the principles of democracy.
Singh's remarks came after he met Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders holding a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's official residence – 7 Lok Kalyan Marg urging them to end the protest. Gandhi refused to leave the protest unless Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. The Congress leaders were later moved and are now protesting at one stretch of raod that houses PM's official residence – 7 LKM.
Gandhi, accompanied by sisterPriyanka Gandhi Vadraand other Congress leaders, reached the Prime Minister’s address at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. The protesting Congress leaders raised slogans, demanding the resignation of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over police crackdown in Delhi during Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest on Monday.
Later Gandhi said that he won't leave unless Pradhan resigns and governmemt agrees on a discussion on NEET paperleaks during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament. Opposition leaders including NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav have also joined the protest.
“In view of the dignity of this senior delegation, the government sent me personally, along with the Union Home Secretary, Shri Govind Mohan, to the spot to hold talks with these senior leaders,” Singh said adding that a request was made to Rahul Gandhi to end his sit-in, as this site is not meant for protests, and holding a sit-in here is causing considerable inconvenience to the general public.
Backtracked from his word so quickly: Singh
“Shri Rahul Gandhi put forward the demand that if the government agrees to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement, he would immediately end his sit-in. Within a few moments, after taking permission from the government's top leadership, Shri Rahul Gandhi was assured that his demand has been accepted, and the government is ready to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement,” Singh, the Minister of State for PMO said.
Later, Singh said Rahul Gandhi said would not agree to this alone but also sought assurance for the resignation of the Union Education Minister. “When an attempt was made to humbly explain to him that for a senior leader like him to backtrack from his word so quickly does not befit him, he said that it is his prerogative. When the Home Secretary tried to explain that this site is not suitable for a sit-in, his response was that it is also his prerogative to sit wherever he wants,” Singh said.
This is a rae occasion when any opposition leader has held a protest outside PM Modi's high-security official residence in central Delhi. This comes a day after thousands of people took part in march to Parliament organised byCockroach Janta Party's (CJP) over NEET irregularities, with several confrontations breaking out between protesters and the police in central Delhi.
For a senior leader like him to backtrack from his word swiftly does not befit him.
For a senior leader like Rahul Gandhi and the Leader of the Opposition to go back on his word is unfortunate and contrary to every norm of democracy, Singh said.
“The government is ready to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement. In contrast, the Congress Party has not given any notice to date for a formal discussion on this serious matter as per rules. Shri Rahul Gandhi's behavior does not align with the principles of democracy,” he added.
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.
Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.
Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.
Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.
Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
Source: Livemint — Politics
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