Had offered CM's post to Mayawati but she 'did not even talk to us': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the Congress had offered to form an alliance with BSP chief Mayawati in the recent Uttar Pradesh assembly election and make her the chief ministerial candidate but "she did not even talk to us".
Lashing out at the BSP supremo, the former Congress president alleged that Mayawati gave a clear passage to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state because of "the CBI, the ED and Pegasus".
The Congress won only two seats out of 403 and got a vote share of less than 2.5 percent in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP retained power. As many as 97 percent of Congress candidates lost their security deposit.
The BSP won just one seat and a vote share of around 13 per cent. Nearly 72 per cent of its candidates also lost their deposit in the election, which turned out to be a bipolar contest between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party.
Releasing a book, "The Dalit Truth", Rahul Gandhi said the Constitution is a weapon but it is meaningless without institutions which, he alleged, have been ''captured by the RSS''.
Noting that if institutions are not controlled by people, neither is the country, the Congress leader said, "This is not a new assault. It started the day when Mahatma Gandhi was killed with bullets."
Gandhi said he would not have been able to speak up against the government had he taken any money and alleged that the CBI and the ED control the political system.
Taking on Mayawati, he said, "We gave a message to Mayawati to form an alliance and asked her to become the chief minister. She did not even talk to us."
Gandhi said he has respect for BSP patriarch Kanshi Ram for articulating the Dalit voice of Uttar Pradesh, even though the Congress had suffered during that phase.
"But Mayawatiji is saying that I will not fight for it .. she gave a clear passage to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Why? (because of ) CBI, the ED and Pegasus".
The former Congress chief said people need to speak up or else institutions will continue to be controlled and the Constitution will not be followed.
"This is the reality of India. And when the Constitution becomes defunct, the weak are the worst affected -- Dalits, minorities, tribals, unemployed, small farmers and the poor," he said.
He exhorted Dalits to fight for their rights by treading the path shown by B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.
"The Constitution is the weapon of India but it has no meaning without institutions. The Constitution without institutions has no meaning. We talk of protecting the Constitution. But how is the Constitution implemented? With institutions. All institutions are in the hands of the RSS," he alleged.
He said Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, gave the weapon to people "but today, that weapon has no meaning" as the media is being controlled and a spyware is being used to control political leaders.
Pointing out to the state of the country's economy, Gandhi said, "This is the time to fight."
He said Ambedkar and Gandhi had shown that "there is a path, but you need to tread on it. There is a way, but you need to tread that path".
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Allahabad HC asks CBI, ED to inquire disproportionate assets allegation against Rahul Gandhi
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of amassing of disproportionate assets by Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The court has asked the agencies to submit the progress of the inquiry on July 20.
A division bench of Justices Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Zafeer Ahmad passed the order while hearing a criminal writ petition moved by a Karnataka BJP worker, S Vignesh Shishir.
The petitioner has alleged accumulation of disproportionate assets by Gandhi and sought direction of an inquiry into the matter.
The bench conducted an in-chamber hearing in the case on May 12.
In its order published on the high court's website on Thursday, the bench observed, "It is expected that if the complaint of the petitioner has been received, the allegations may be verified as per law. It is needless to say that the CBI or ED may take appropriate steps permissible under the law."
Besides the CBI and ED, the bench has also directed the Central government's Department of Personnel and Training, the Department of Revenue, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the Director of Serious Fraud Investigation Office to file their responses on the allegations levelled by the petition within eight weeks.
According to the order, the CBI and the ED have informed the bench that they have received the petitioner's complaint and would file a response before the court.
To a query on whether the petition was maintainable, the bench said that this submission would be tested after receiving the counter-affidavits of the respective parties and the rejoinder affidavits thereof.
The court also ordered its senior registrar to keep the paper-book and the loose documents provided by the petitioner in a sealed cover to be opened on the next hearing.
