Road ahead for Congress more challenging than ever before: Sonia Gandhi
New Delhi(PTI): Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday called for unity at all levels of the organisation while noting that the road ahead for the party is more challenging than ever before and the spirit of resilience of party workers is under severe test.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, she also hit out at the BJP, saying the ruling party's "divisive agenda" has become a regular feature of political discourse in all states and that history is being "mischievously distorted" to add fuel to its agenda.
"The divisive and polarising agenda of the ruling party and its leaders has now become a regular feature of the political discourse in state after state. History, not just ancient but also contemporary, is mischievously distorted and facts are maliciously invented to add fuel to this agenda.It is for us all to stand up and confront these forces of hate and prejudice," she charged.
"We will not allow them to damage the bonds of amity and harmony that have sustained and enriched our diverse society for centuries," she told party MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Accusing the ruling establishment of targeting the opposition, its leaders and workers, she said the full might of the state machinery is unleashed against them.
"Maximum governance to those in power clearly means spreading maximum fear and intimidation," she charged and added such blatant threats and tactics will neither frighten or silence us nor will we get cowed down.
The meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, the first one being held after the party's debacle in recent assembly elections in five states, is being attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, besides all party MPs in both houses of Parliament.
The Congress has been seeking to corner the government on the issue of inflation and rise in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG gas.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
