Let's debate in LS to close chapter on 'complaints, insults' against Nehru: Priyanka to PM
New Delhi (PTI): Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raking up Jawaharlal Nehru's "mistakes", Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday called for a debate in the Lok Sabha on the "insults" and "complaints" against the country's first prime minister to "close the chapter" on it once and for all.
"And after that, let us discuss today's issues like unemployment, inflation, women's issues....," she said, participating in a discussion in the Lok Sabha on 150 years of national song Vande Mataram.
The Congress general secretary also said though Modi gives good speeches, he has a shortcoming -- he is weak on facts.
Launching a strong defence of Nehru, who was repeatedly criticised by treasury-bench members during the debate, Priyanka Gandhi said Modi has been the prime minister for about 12 years now and Nehru had spent about those many years in jail for the country's independence.
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"Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru lived for this country and breathed his last while serving the nation. Our prime minister has been in this House for about 12 years, I have only been here for 12 months, yet I have a small piece of advice. There was an election recently and he released a list of how many insults the opposition parties and their leaders had hurled at him, and in that list, he had compiled perhaps 90-99 such insults," Priyanka Gandhi said.
"So I want to give him a small piece of advice: whatever complaints you have against Nehruji, whatever mistakes you think he made, whatever abuses you want to hurl, whatever insults you want to inflict, make a list of all of those ... 999 insults, 9,999 insults, make a list, and then we will fix a time. Just like we debated Vande Mataram for 10 hours today, we will ask the speaker, we will fix a time -- 10 hours, 20 hours, 40 hours, however many hours it takes for your complaints to be fully addressed -- so that you are satisfied," she said.
Priyanka Gandhi asserted that people have sent them to Parliament to discuss and solve their problems.
"As they say in English, once and for all, let us close the chapter. Let us close it. The country will hear what the complaints are -- what did Indiraji do, what did Rajivji do, what is parivarvaad (dynastic politics), what mistakes did Nehruji make. Listen to this and then it is over. After that, unemployment, inflation, women's issues -- discuss those," she said.
The Congress leader alleged that the debate on Vande Mataram is being held merely to distract attention because "this government wants to hide the reality of the current situation in this country".
"How troubled and distressed the youth of this country are today.... Paper leaks keep happening, there is unemployment, inflation has gone up so much -- why are we not discussing these in the House?" she questioned.
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"Why are we not discussing the manipulation that is happening with reservations? There will be talk about women, big announcements will be made, but why are no concrete steps being taken here to improve their situation?" she asked.
"If you have the courage, talk about why there is unemployment, why exam papers are leaked," Priyanka Gandhi said.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
