| Congress to seek mandate on divisive, pro-separatist planks | | Elections 2019 | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 8: The Election Commission of India has not yet announced schedule for the general elections, but the Congress has started its poll campaign in right earnest. The Congress has almost made it loud and clear that this time it would not seek mandate on planks democratic, economic, developmental and national unity, but on divisive, emotive and pro-separatist planks.
During the last few days, a number of Congress leaders have made statements which left none in any doubt that it will leave no stone unturned to polarize voters to improve its poll prospects and increase its 2014 tally of 44 in the Lok Sabha, the lowest ever tally. In 2009, the Congress had won 207 seats.
How else should one define the latest three statements made by three senior Congress leaders - AICC president Rahul Gandhi, former Home Minister P Chidambaram and Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader from Assam Sushmita Dev? While Rahul Gandhi said: "Yes, Congress is a Muslim party", P Chidambaram said that the Congress wanted sedition law to go lock, stock and barrel. "Section 124A of Indian Penal Code that defines the offence of 'sedition' must go lock, stock and barrel," the former Union Home Minister said. Rahul Gandhi made the statement while participating in a Muslim intellectuals' meet.
On the other hand, Sushmita Dev reassured Muslims that the Congress would repeal Triple Talaq Bill if the Congress came to power. "The Congress party stood up and opposed the Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament. I am promising you when the Congress comes to power after the 2019 elections, we will abolish this Triple Talaq law," she said while speaking at the national convention of All-India Congress Committee's minority department on Thursday, February 7. |
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