'Vote chori' main issue before country today, PM's Manipur visit now no 'big deal': Rahul Gandhi
Junagadh (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Manipur has been in trouble for a long time and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the strife-torn state now is not a "big deal" as he insisted "vote chori" (vote theft) remains the main issue before the country currently.
Talking to reporters outside the Keshod airport in Junagadh district of Gujarat, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed everywhere people are raising "vote chor" (vote thief) slogan.
After landing at the airport in the afternoon, Gandhi reached Junagadh city where is scheduled to address district and city unit presidents of the Congress in Gujarat and interact with senior leaders.
When reporters sought Gandhi's comments on PM Modi's scheduled visit to Manipur on Saturday, the Congress MP sought to downplay his tour to the trouble-torn north-eastern state.
"Manipur has been in trouble for a long time and the PM has decided to go there now. So that's not a big deal. The main issue today in India is 'vote chori' (vote theft)," asserted Gandhi.
Modi will visit Manipur on September 13 and interact with internally displaced people in Churachandpur and state capital Imphal. This will be the PM's first visit to Manipur since ethnic violence broke out in the state two years ago.
"They stole the elections of Haryana and Maharashtra. We proved that in Karnataka recently. So, the main issue is vote theft. Everywhere people are raising 'vote chor' (vote thief) slogan," said the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli.
A training camp for local party leaders is being organised in Junagadh from September 10 to 19 as part of the Congress' 'Sangathan Srujan Abhiyan' (campaign to strengthen the organisation) in the BJP-ruled state.
The camp was inaugurated on Wednesday by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
"Rahul Gandhi will address district and city unit presidents and interact with senior leaders of the party. He will be at the event for nearly three hours before leaving for Delhi," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.
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TMC's reign of terror prevails in West Bengal: Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday strongly condemned the killing of party worker Debdeep Chatterjee allegedly by TMC goons, and said his party will not bow before this politics that stains India's non-violent tradition.
Chatterjee was brutally murdered in Asansol during post-poll violence. He was closely associated with Asansol North Congress candidate Prasenjit Puitandi, the party claimed.
The worker was attacked and beaten by those linked to the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and succumbed to injuries shortly thereafter, the West Bengal Congress alleged.
"The murder of Congress worker Debdeep Chatterjee by TMC-affiliated goons after the elections is utterly reprehensible. My deepest condolences to the grieving family," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"In West Bengal today, it is not democracy but TMC's reign of terror that prevails. Intimidating, attacking, and eliminating opposing voices after votes are cast -this has become the defining character of TMC," Gandhi also said.
He said the Congress' politics has never been based on violence, nor will it ever be.
"We too have lost our workers, yet we have always chosen the path of non-violence and the Constitution. This is our legacy, this is our resolve. "The demand is clear -immediate arrest of all the guilty, the harshest punishment, and grant full security and compensation for Debdeep's family," the former Congress chief said.
"We will not bow before this politics that stains India's non-violent tradition. Justice will be done," Gandhi said.
The West Bengal Congress, in a post on its X handle, said this tragic incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in the state and raises serious questions about the safety of opposition workers in West Bengal.
"The fact that such violence has occurred immediately after polling highlights a deeply disturbing pattern of political intimidation and vendetta," it said.
The Congress stands firmly with the bereaved family and demands immediate arrest of all those responsible for this heinous crime and a fair, impartial, and time-bound investigation. It also said adequate compensation and protection for the victim's family.
"It is deeply concerning that even an FIR had not been registered at the time of reporting, further indicating administrative apathy in the face of such a grave incident.
"The Indian National Congress reiterates that democracy cannot survive in an atmosphere of fear and violence. We will continue to raise our voice against such atrocities and fight to ensure justice for every victim," the party said.
The Congress said the murder of Chatterjee by goons associated with TMC is highly condemnable and termed it a direct attack on democracy.
"Democracy in West Bengal has ended, and TMC's reign of terror continues. Silencing and subduing opposing voices through violence has become TMC's hallmark. We demand that the culprits be arrested immediately and given the harshest possible punishment. We will not allow the democracy of our country to be destroyed by these anti-people forces," the Congress said.
