BKU leader Rakesh Tikait says he won't join Bharat Jodo Yatra
Meerut (PTI): Bhartiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait Monday said he will not participate in the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra which is slated to enter Uttar Pradesh on January 3.
He said Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) workers are "free to participate" in the Rahul Gandhi-let march but office bearers above the rank of district presidents will not take part in it.
The Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is currently on winter break and will resume on January 3. The foot march began in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and has so far traversed more than 2,800 km through 10 states.
It will enter Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on January 3 afternoon and make a night halt at Mavikala village in Baghpat. It will pass through Shamli in Uttar Pradesh on January 4 and enter Haryana through Sanauli in Panipat on the evening of January 5.
Asked about the Yatra, Tikait said, "I am not going to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. But we are not stopping anyone from participating in it. The BKU workers who want to participate in the yatra are free to do so. However, office bearers above the rank of district presidents will not participate in the yatra."
"Ours is an apolitical organisation. People from different ideologies are in our organisation. I am not going to the Yatra, but there can be someone or a farmers' organisation which is going to the yatra," he told PTI over phone.
"We protested against the wrong policies of governments, theirs (Congress') as well. Our protests are going on in Chhattisgarh," Tikait said.
Asked whether he has got any invitation for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Tikait said, "Yes. I am getting invitations from their leaders. I want to talk to them about their agricultural policies. I will speak to them (Congress leaders) in Haryana on January 9."
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
