On the eve of the foundation day of the Congress, former party president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday left for abroad on a short personal visit. The party said he will be away for a few days, indicating that he will most probably ring in the New Year in a foreign location.
The Congress during the day sent out a message, saying there will be a flag hoisting ceremony at the 24, Akbar Road party headquarters at 9.30 am to mark the 136th foundation day.
The party did not divulge details of his travel itinerary. Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala told PTI he has left for abroad on a short personal visit and will be away for a few days.
Rahul had travelled abroad in September too, accompanying his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her annual medical check-up when the Monsoon session of Parliament was on.
While he left for abroad on a short visit, his party stepped up attack on the government over the farm laws issue. It asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet colleagues to sleep on the floor to empathise with the farmers protesting in the cold.
Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters, Congress MPs from Punjab Ravneet Singh Bittu and Jasbir Singh Gill who have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the ongoing agitation slammed the Prime Minister for not taking the initiative to resolve the matter.
“It has never happened since 1952 that Parliament’s Winter Session has not happened. And this is a crucial time. The farmers had been sitting at the borders of Delhi for 32 days. The Prime Minister in his Mann ki Baat radio address spoke about everything, but did not mention the farmers, labourers,” Bittu said.
He said the government has made it clear that it will not talk about repeal of the laws during its meeting with leaders of the farmer organisations on December 29. “Why this stubbornness?… The government should withdraw the ordinance imposing Rs 1-2 crore fine on stubble burning and the Electricity Amendment Bill before the next round of talks so that the dialogue to end the stalemate over three agri-marketing laws can progress smoothly,” he said.
Source: Indian Express
