Congress defends Surjewala addressing Brahmin seminar
New Delhi, Sep 5 : Facing accusation of playing the "Brahmin card", the Congress on Wednesday defended party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala addressing a Brahmin seminar wherein he claimed his party has "Brahmin Samaj's DNA in its blood".
Addressing the state-level Brahmin seminar on September 2 in Haryana's Kurukshetra, Surjewala had said: "Indian National Congress is a party in whose blood there is Brahmin Samaj's DNA."
In his speech, he likened Congress president Rahul Gandhi's "fight" with the BJP to the one between "gods and demons."
With the BJP now accusing the Congress palying the "Brahmin card", Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi came out in support of his party colleague.
"The Congress has done this many times earlier. A person belonging to a party in our department does it, and you just attack for the sake of attacking, have we not had an ‘OBC Sammelan', have you not had a ‘SC/ST Sammelan', have you not a ‘Brahmin Sammelan' earlier?" Singhvi told the media here.
Singhvi said the BJP's attack on Gandhi's Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was out of desperation and fear.
Ridiculing Congress, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the party has the DNA of a "chameleon which changes colour that suits its political ambitions."
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Ladakh leaders welcome Wangchuk's release, demand others' freedom
New Delhi (PTI): Leaders from Ladakh on Saturday welcomed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's release from Jodhpur jail and demanded the release of remaining detainees.
Wangchuk was released from prison on Saturday after the Union government revoked his detention with immediate effect.
Ladakh MP Mohamad Hanifa hailed his release and urged the government to accept their demands for statehood and protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
"We welcome the release of Sonam Wangchuk. But others also need to be released, and the government should also take back the cases filed against people who participated in the protests," Hanifa told PTI.
The Union Home Ministry, in its statement, commented on the law and order situation in the Union Territory.
"... prevailing atmosphere of bandhs and protests has been detrimental to the peace-loving character of the society and has adversely affected various sections of the community, including students, job aspirants, businesses, tour operators and tourists and overall economy," it said.
Hanifa, however, said protest is a Constitutional right, and urged the government to resolve the issue through dialogue.
"If our voice is not heard in any other way, then there is another way to protest. We have always protested peacefully from day one, and we believe in peaceful protests. This is to make our voice reach the government," he said.
"We have always said that we want a solution to these issues through dialogue," he said.
Kargil-based politician and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) member Sajjad Kargili, in a post on X, demanded the immediate release of Deldan Namgial and Smanla Dorjey, and appealed to the government to drop all charges against other detainees unconditionally.
"The revocation of NSA against Shri Sonam Wangchuk is a welcome move. However, our struggle of our legitimate rights continues," he said.
Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025, two days after protests over demands for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution rocked Leh.
More than 45 people, including 22 policemen, were injured in the protests.
