Congress moves on with 'eyes wide shut': Kapil Sibal after Sushmita Dev quits
New Delhi, Aug 16: As the women's wing chief of the Congress resigned, senior leader Kapil Sibal on Monday said the party is moving on with its "eyes wide shut".
"Sushmita Dev resigns from primary membership of our Party. While young leaders leave we 'oldies' are blamed for our efforts to strengthen it," the former union minister said on Twitter.
"The Party moves on with: Eyes Wide Shut," he also said.
Sibal, a member of the 'Group of 23' leaders who had written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi seeking organisational overhaul, has been demanding that the party be strengthened.
The senior party leader on Sunday welcomed the party chief's initiative of bringing like-minded political parties together, but urged her to strengthen her own party, saying no Opposition unity is possible without it.
Sibal, however, said he along with other leaders of the "Group of 23" would continue to demand reforms in the grand old party and keep pushing for its strengthening.
"I am happy that Congress president Sonia Gandhi is taking the initiative of bringing about Opposition unity. But our reform agenda has to continue and we will keep pushing for it to strengthen the Congress," he told PTI.
The former Union minister said he and his party colleagues are ready to support these efforts in order to revive and revitalise the Congress.
He said Gandhi can "jettison" him if he stands in her way, but he would continue to seek strengthening of the Congress for bringing it to the forefront of Opposition unity.
"This is not about me, but about a revival of the Congress and bringing it to the forefront of Opposition unity. Without the Congress being strong, there can be no Opposition unity," Sibal said.
Sibal said Opposition unity will not come about till the Congress is revived and strengthened.
"This project of Opposition unity will fail if the Congress is not strengthened and rejuvenated. I hope the Congress realises the significance of its primacy," he said.
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Two arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting woman at knifepoint in Kochi
Kochi (PTI): Two persons have been arrested after a three-member gang allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint near Ernakulam Junction Railway station, officials said on Friday.
The arrested accused were identified as Danish (26), a native of Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district, and Rahul (39), a native of Paravoor in Kollam district.
Police officials said they were searching for the prime accused, Sanjay, a native of Aroor in Alappuzha district.
According to police, the incident occurred on the night of May 5 when the victim was chatting with her friend near a closed hotel near Ernakulam Junction Railway station.
Officials said the accused approached them, attacked the victim’s friend and then allegedly threatened the woman with a knife before sexually assaulting her.
Police said the accused also allegedly disrobed the victim during the attack.
However, the woman managed to escape from the spot and approached a nearby shop for help.
Police were informed immediately and shifted the victim to the police station.
Officials said the accused were heavily drunk at the time of the incident and went into hiding soon after the attack.
Police registered a case on May 6 under charges including rape, disrobing a woman, criminal intimidation and robbery.
The two accused were later arrested in the city, while efforts are continuing to trace Sanjay, police said.
The accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
