'Stood against hatred': Cong, INDIA bloc leaders hail Rahul on B-Day
New Delhi (PTI): Birthday wishes poured in for Rahul Gandhi as he turned 54 on Wednesday with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge saying that his qualities of unwavering commitment to the values espoused in the Constitution and his emphatic compassion for the millions of unheard voices set him apart.
Gandhi, a former Congress president and MP from Rae Bareli, has instructed all Congress workers to avoid any grand celebrations, and instead celebrate this occasion by engaging in humanitarian efforts and charity.
In a post on X, Kharge extended birthday greetings to Gandhi.
"Your unwavering commitment to the values espoused in the Constitution of India and your emphatic compassion for the millions of unheard voices, are the qualities which sets you apart," Kharge said of Gandhi.
"Congress party's ethos of unity in diversity, harmony and compassion, is visible in all your actions, as you continue in your mission to wipe off the tear from the last person standing, by showing the mirror of truth to power," he said.
Kharge wished Gandhi a long, healthy and happy life ahead.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin also hailed Gandhi on his birthday.
"Happy Birthday, dear brother Rahul Gandhi! Your dedication to the people of our country will take you to great heights. Wishing you a year of continued progress and success," Stalin said on X.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav wished Gandhi on his birthday.
Congress general secretary, in-charge, organisation, K C Venugopal said, "I join crores of Indians in wishing our beloved leader Sh. Rahul Gandhi ji a very happy birthday!"
"Rahul ji is the undisputed leader of India's poor, marginalised and backward citizens. The voice of the voiceless, the pillar of strength for the weak, the guardian of our Constitution, the quintessential Nyay Yoddha, and India's brightest hope for a glorious future!" Venugopal said on X.
"His selfless, dedicated and passionate commitment to serving the people is an inspiration for us all and his moral compass guides us every step of the way," he said.
"He (Gandhi) has seen the toughest of times, faced the worst abuses, withstood attacks from all corners, but he has stood tall and never wavered from his principles no matter the ridicule or insult he faces," Venugopal said.
In him today, our country has a conscience keeper and a leader who has a lifelong mission of making our country into an inclusive, progressive and prosperous nation of all our dreams, Venugopal said.
"I wish him a lifetime full of joy and the strength to fight the good fight! Rahul ji has specially instructed all Congress workers that they should avoid any grand celebrations, and instead celebrate this occasion by engaging in humanitarian efforts, charity and in an environmentally friendly manner," he said.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also wished Gandhi on the occasion and said his persona is to fight against all odds.
"His outlook is to stand by the underprivileged. Sacrifice is inheritance and fighting is his philosophy. He is sagacious and the only leader to fulfil India's aspirations for tomorrow," Reddy said.
In a post on X, the Congress said, "Happy birthday to a leader who taught us to 'Choose Love'. Choose love when hate is hurled at you. Choose love when kindness appears impossible. Choose love when the going gets tough.Choose love when compassion depletes.
"One leader who stood against anger, hatred and tears. One leader who led from the front to reclaim our democracy. One leader who ushered in light and rekindled hope. Thank you for being you Rahul Gandhi ji," the party said.
Warm birthday greetings to Shri @RahulGandhi.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 19, 2024
Your unwavering commitment to the values espoused in the Constitution of India and your emphatic compassion for the millions of unheard voices, are the qualities which sets you apart.
Congress party’s ethos of unity in diversity,…
Happy Birthday, dear brother @RahulGandhi!
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 19, 2024
Your dedication to the people of our country will take you to great heights. Wishing you a year of continued progress and success. pic.twitter.com/As1bHkTKR5
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Muslim organisations seek restoration of 2B reservation, place 10 demands before govt
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Rajya Muslim Sanghatanegala Okkoota has placed 10 major demands before the state government at the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’, including the restoration of reservation for Muslims under Category 2B of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and the repeal or amendment of the anti-cow slaughter law and the withdrawal of the anti-conversion law.
Presenting the demands in his keynote address at the convention organised by the federation at Town Hall in Bengaluru on Saturday, social activist Muhammad Yaseen Malpe said the Congress government had promised to withdraw the order issued by the previous BJP government banning hijab for Muslim girl students. He said the restriction remained in force until the date of the convention was announced and thanked the government for withdrawing it.
On reservation, Yaseen Malpe said the Congress government has not restored the reservation for Muslims under Category 2B, which was abolished by the previous BJP government in 2023, despite being in power for three years. He said that although the Supreme Court of India had stayed the order abolishing the reservation, no legislative steps have been taken to restore it, and urged the government to do so at the earliest.
Referring to the anti-conversion law, he said the state cabinet had decided on June 15, 2023 to repeal the legislation introduced by the BJP government. However, he noted that no Bill to withdraw the law has yet been introduced in the Legislative Assembly. He said the law, which he described as intended to harass minorities and curtail religious freedom, continues to remain in force and demanded that it be withdrawn immediately.
On the anti-cow slaughter law, he said the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020 had become a “death warrant” for farmers, labourers, meat traders and cattle transporters and alleged that it was enacted with the sole intention of targeting Muslims. He demanded that the law be repealed or amended without delay.
Yaseen Malpe said the Congress had promised in its election manifesto to allocate Rs 10,000 crore annually for minority welfare. However, he pointed out that only around Rs 4,762 crore has been earmarked in the 2026-27 Budget, which he said was less than half of the promised amount. He urged the government to fully implement the commitment in the coming years.
On waqf properties, he alleged that large-scale encroachment, illegal transfers, undervalued leases and weak administration continue to affect waqf assets. He said the government had not done satisfactory work in recovering, developing and ensuring accountability in respect of waqf properties. He also expressed dissatisfaction that the state government had not clearly opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 and called for a concrete plan to protect waqf properties.
Regarding the caste survey, he said neither the caste census report of the Kantharaj Commission nor the report of the survey conducted under the leadership of Madhusudhan R. Naik has been tabled in the legislature. He said this had stalled important reforms relating to reservation and welfare and alleged that the government had caused great injustice and disappointment to backward classes, Dalits, minorities and other weaker sections.
On hate speech, hate crimes and hate campaigns, he said incidents targeting Muslims, including mob violence, moral policing and economic boycotts, continue to occur. He said repeated offenders were not facing effective legal action and urged the government to take necessary steps.
On political representation, Yaseen Malpe said Muslims remain underrepresented in the Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, corporations and boards, universities, commissions and local bodies. He noted that Muslims constitute around 13 per cent of Karnataka’s population, but only 19 of the Congress party’s 136 MLAs are Muslims. He also said that since this government came to power, only one Muslim had been given an opportunity in the selection to 15 seats in the Legislative Council.
He further stated that not a single Muslim heads any of the state’s major government medical institutions and demanded representation for Muslims in legislative bodies and key government institutions in proportion to their population.
On education, he said the government had undertaken some positive measures for Muslim students and expressed gratitude for them. However, he said substantial work remains to be done in staff recruitment, staff deployment, curriculum coverage, proper disbursal of scholarships and hostel capacity. He also pointed out that the condition of Maulana Azad Schools is highly concerning in several places.
On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, he demanded that the Karnataka Legislative Assembly pass a resolution opposing the exercise, which he said had adversely affected minorities in Bihar and West Bengal. He urged the government to ensure that SIR is not implemented in Karnataka and that no voter is deprived of the right to vote.
